Phuong Nguyen was born in My Tho, Vietnam, 16 days before the fall of Saigon and the start of Communist rule in 1975. After the war and ensuing political upheaval, her parents struggled with day-to-day life, working hard to save whatever money they could to buy passage on a boat that could lead to new beginnings for their young family. At a very young age, Phuong and her younger sister were exposed to conflict and danger, with her parents risking their lives to seek a better future for their family. The journey was difficult, and lives were lost—and for those that survived, it was down to pure luck. On the tenth day of travel, the tiny boat was rescued by a French Naval ship that towed them to Malaysia, where they were turned away. Instead, the ship detoured to an Indonesian refugee camp. Grateful for the goodwill they were shown, her parents worked as volunteers for Save the Children and taught fellow refugees English. It was there that Phuong was exposed to service, community, and collaboration and has since embodied those values in her life.
Today, Phuong is a proud community leader, working mom, coach, mentor, and advocate to two amazing young ladies who are enrolled in Newark Unified School District. For the past four years, it has been an honor for her to serve NUSD students, families, teachers, and staff and she is excited to continue that hard work. During her time as a school board member, she has dedicated herself to improving and expanding policies that prioritize safety; introducing high-quality academic programs; and hiring and retaining exceptional administrators, teachers, and staff. She championed and supported staff during the implementation of the following programs and initiatives: Graduate Profile, College and Career readiness, Restructuring of EL (English Learner) Reclassification, Seal of Biliteracy, Dual Language Immersion, STAR Academy, Family Code Night, Girls Who Code, Solar Project at Newark Middle School and Newark Memorial High School, electric bus and charging station infrastructure, remodeling and reopening of the STAR Lab, and new football/track and field stadium project.
She continues this work by regularly visiting school sites and attending events and PTA meetings to observe, listen, and be a bridge between administration and the community. She advocates for students and staff, helping them thrive and be successful in and out of classrooms. She has a vested interest in the district, not only for her children, but for all students and families in NUSD. She wants to ensure that student achievement is the highest priority, with a strong emphasis on equity and inclusion, along with creating safe and fun learning environments at every school site and for all grade levels.
She is a passionate advocate of public education and believes that it builds resilient, compassionate, and creative professionals, entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders. After school consolidations and closures disrupted several programs, her family sponsored annual scholarships for graduating seniors who attended Graham, Snow, and Musick Elementary from their prior PTAs and PTOs.
Phuong is a product of Newark schools and part of Newark Memorial High School’s alumni class of 1993. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Psychology from the University of Arizona in 1997. She has pledged her career to public service and currently works as a Management Analyst II for the City of Fremont Fire Department. Prior to that position, she spent 22 years as a Systems Analyst in the City of Milpitas’s Information Technology Department. She is experienced and knowledgeable in data and systems analysis, project management, organizational processes, and systems integration and implementation. She uses those skills to lead the school board and encourage collaboration between administration and the community.
Lastly, in her free time she loves to travel, cook, craft, attend sporting events, and most importantly spend quality time with her family and friends.
