Patrice Marshall McKenzie Announces Candidacy for Pasadena Unified School Board

Longtime educator and community advocate, Patrice Marshall McKenzie is running for the seat being vacated by Elizabeth Pomeroy.

By News Desk

Educated in Pasadena public schools from kindergarten through high school, McKenzie graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and received a Master in Public Administration degree from the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College, City University of New York.

Patrice McKenzie has more than 15 years of experience working with state and local government leaders, including the California State Legislature and LAUSD.  She also has been a leader is many volunteer and civic organizations, including the National Women’s Political Caucus—Greater Pasadena Area, and the LA Trust for Children’s Health.  In 2020, she co-chaired the successful YES vote on the Measure O school bond campaign, a campaign that secured $516.3 million for Pasadena schools to increase facility, technology, water and energy conservation, infrastructure, visual performing arts and STEAM curriculum.

In a statement to ColoradoBoulevard, McKenzie said:

I made a purposeful decision to pursue a career in public service. I have also dedicated much of my volunteer time to the preservation, uplift, and promotion of the value of public education, especially as it pertains to Pasadena Public Schools. Running for the Board of Education is a natural extension of my work to build strong communities with schools as the core of that strength.

On her campaign website Patrice4Pasadena.com, McKenzie emphasizes her skills as a facilitator, collaborator and consensus builder, as well as the relationships she has formed over her years in the public affairs arena. She believes that public schools must be preserved and protected as a public benefit.