About GABE
What Does Gabe Do?
Gabe is currently a school board trustee in Maple Ridge (School District #42). At 21 years old, he is one of the youngest serving elected officials in the province.
What Got Gabe Involved?
Gabe has lived in Maple Ridge all his life, attending at Alouette Elementary, and then Maple Ridge Secondary School. From a young age, he knew his strengths lay in community involvement. He believes that active community involvement is what helps shape a positive culture within a school. At Maple Ridge Secondary, Gabe was well known by his peers and his teachers for holding these values.
Gabe's Journey
In 2019, Gabe began his post-secondary journey at Simon Fraser University, where he initially intended to major in French, but soon declared himself a Political Science major. He knew from his experience at Maple Ridge Secondary that community involvement was what he was passionate about and where he wanted to invest his energy. In his first year, he immersed himself in the progressive student movement, and went on to serve as Vice-President University Relations on the Simon Fraser Student Society’s Board of Directors for one year, and President.
Serving as an Executive on his student union, Gabe gained experience serving on, and heading, an organization with a total budget of $12M, a staff team of over 50 unionized employees, and a governing body with a membership of 60+ people. He learned what it takes to practice good governance, manage large organizations, work within budget constraints, and engage in effective advocacy at all levels of government.
What's He Doing Now?
In 2022, he decided to run for the Board of Education in Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows, where he became the 2nd youngest elected official in British Columbia.
The Board of Education, of which Gabe is a member, is responsible for the governance of the school district, which includes approving the yearly budget, advocating to the provincial government for improvements to the education sector, supervising the Superintendent, and acting as a link between the district and the community.
Gabe is also serving as the Secretary of the Fraser Valley branch of the BC School Trustees Association, where he plays a crucial role in maintaining communication and collaboration between trustees in the region. Additionally, Gabe serves on the Board Policy Development Committee, where he helps to develop policies and procedures that will guide the district's operations and ensure that it is meeting its goals and objectives.