PACIFICA SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATE
Tiffany Button
She/Her | 4-year term
23 years in biotech compliance and oversight. Parent. Strong leader.
Financial accountability
Preserve open enrollment
Transparent governance
"Pacifica schools are currently operating as a 'going concern' under county fiscal oversight. For 23 years, I have been the person in the room charged with compliance and oversight, asking the hard questions to ensure the right decisions are made. I’m running for the school board because our district needs leaders who will require a clear plan, collaborate with the superintendent to navigate difficult choices, and hold the administration strictly accountable for following through".
Why I’m Running
The Pacifica School District faces a critical financial turning point. Protecting our classrooms and restoring community trust will require transparency, fiscal discipline, and honest communication. I’m running for School Board because I believe our students, teachers, and staff deserve a trustee who doesn’t shy away from doing what is right.
Strong leadership means asking the hard questions, understanding the risks, analyzing the data, and making sure there is a clear plan and accountability for following through. I want to help protect what makes Pacifica’s schools special — dedicated teachers and staff, preserve Pacifica’s highly valued open enrollment, and student-focused learning — while ensuring our district has a stable, sustainable future for every student.
My commitment
Financial accountability
Hold the superintendent accountable to create an actionable plan to address the challenges in our fiscal stabilization plan that prioritizes core funding for our classrooms, special education, and our teachers and staff.
Preserve open enrollment
Ensure we continue the foundational structure that allows parents to choose to send their kids to the school that works best for them and their child. Help build up our schools to be the first choice for parents and a draw for our community.
Transparent governance
Provide the community full transparency around options analysis, fiscal challenges, and decision criteria as choices are made. This includes increased communication and sharing beyond just the school board meetings.
About Tiffany Button
23 years in biotech compliance and oversight. Parent. Strong leader.
My Story in Pacifica
Originally from Central New York, I earned my BS in Biology with minors in Psychology and Chemistry from SUNY Cortland. I began my biotechnology career outside Philadelphia, where I met my husband, Dan. Drawn to the Bay Area, we moved to California in 2006 and put down roots in Pacifica in 2017.
We are proud parents of Paityn and Olivia - a senior and freshman at Mercy High School Burlingame. Between them, our family has experienced four Pacifica School District campuses: Sunset Ridge, Vallemar, Ocean Shore, and Ingrid B. Lacy Middle School. Navigating these campuses firsthand gave me a deep appreciation for the unique strengths, distinct cultures, and individual needs of our neighborhood schools.
Professional Discipline & Leadership
For over 22 years, I have worked in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, including 13 years at Genentech in South San Francisco, where I currently serve as a Quality Director. My career spans startups, consulting, complex technical work, and large-scale capital projects in heavily regulated fields.
This background built my core commitment to compliance, risk management, and objective analysis. Most importantly, it forged an unwavering "speak up" culture which gives me the tools and independence to ask tough questions and demand administrative accountability.
Beyond the Ballot
Outside of work and school advocacy, I love cooking, staying active, and hiking Pacifica’s coastal trails. As a passionate animal welfare advocate, I also volunteer as a foster caregiver for a local Pacifica rescue, helping rescued kittens, puppies, and mama cats find forever homes.