Meet Nicole Chiu-Wang
Candidate for Palo Alto School Board
WHO I AM
I'm a tech entrepreneur and small business owner, attorney, mother to two young children and daughter of public servants and I’m stepping up to represent those historically unrepresented and drive actionable solutions to address our systemic problems.
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I am a bi-racial Asian American woman and my life has been shaped by that identity. Despite the ethnic makeup of the District, there has not been an Asian American woman on the Palo Alto School Board in over a decade. Representation matters for all members of our diverse community to be seen and heard and for our children to see people that look like them in our leadership.
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MY FAMILY AND VALUES
My parents were public servants for the majority of their careers. My dad started his career in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). My mom was a social worker then went on to be one of 30 women in her class of 300 students at UCLA Law School. My parents met working in the Los Angeles City Attorneys Office and my birth announcement declared "a new addition to the firm" - that playful expectation played a large role in my decision to go to law school eventually. But more importantly, they have always instilled in me the importance of service and contributing to your community in any capacity you can.
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I married my high school crush, Donnie Wang, and together we are the proud parents of two sons, Donovan (4 years old) and Beckett (2 years old). Now as a parent, I take on the task of raising my kids to similarly value being of service and standing up for the values we hold as a family. I want them to see me pursue my dreams, contribute to our community, and uplift others - because like trees in a forest, we depend on each other and we are only as strong as the weakest one among us.
LIVING PASSION FORWARD
I have changed careers and taken a non-linear path driven by the belief that following my passions will lead me to a career and a life that I love. I believe that we evolve over time and our careers should, too. Not only does evolving your career to match your personal evolution make sense, but - for me - all my diverse experiences and skillsets have made me a stronger leader and individual contributor.
For the better part of a decade, I owned and operated a small business. During this same time, I also co-founded a fashion technology startup that raised $2.5 million. After over 4 years, my co-founders and I shut down the business to join Google. Knowing how difficult it is to start and run your own business, whether it be a small business or venture-backed startup, I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs thrive, particularly women and BIPOC entrepreneurs. I do this in my current role at Google where I drive strategy for products serving small and medium businesses as well as by volunteering both formally and informally as a mentor for students, recent grads and entrepreneurs. I also serve on the advisory board for INFORUM, the innovation lab of the Commonwealth Club of California—the oldest and largest civic forum in the United States – where I work to amplify voices of change.​
