Location: Haas DK room

Boba provided! We look forward to seeing you!

Nichelle Henderson’s career in public education spans 30 years. She began as a parent volunteer in her child’s pre-K classroom, then became a teaching assistant and CSEA member in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). She later taught sixth-grade math and science as a CEA/NEA member in the Compton Unified School District. Today, she teaches teachers, mentoring and supporting future educators as a Faculty Advisor and Clinical Field Supervisor in a state-funded teacher preparation program in the California State University system.

The oldest of three children, she was born and raised in Los Angeles County. She is an active union leader in the California Faculty Association (CFA/SEIU 1983), where she has served on the Statewide Representation Committee, chaired the Faculty Rights Team at Cal State LA, participated on the statewide bargaining team, and represented educators as a delegate to the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor.

In 2020, she was elected to the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) Board of Trustees, and in 2024, was re-elected with over 1,000,000 votes across Los Angeles County, more than any other candidate currently running for State Superintendent. She has served as Board President and chaired committees focused on student success, institutional effectiveness, legislation, and budget oversight. In these roles, she helped expand student enrollment, secure funding for childcare and student service centers, support students experiencing homelessness, win pay increases for faculty and staff, grow career pathways in fields like healthcare, biotech, and climate jobs, and establish a universal basic income program for students.

Beyond education governance, she has spent years working in Los Angeles County civic life. She was elected as a delegate to the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, appointed as a labor representative to the Los Angeles County Quality and Productivity Commission, and served as its Chair. She also served as Vice President and Secretary/Treasurer of the Los Angeles County School Trustees Association. Nichelle lives in Gardena with her husband and is a proud mother of four adult children and a devoted grandmother to three amazing grandchildren. She is a lifelong believer in service, education, and community.