City of Milpitas City Council Councilmember Carmen Montano

Carmen Montano, the top fundraiser in the Milpitas mayoral contest, also came out on top in a field of six candidates in the November 2022 election—no doubt due in large part to support from outgoing mayor Rich Tran. Montano moved to Milpitas in 1964 from the Central Valley. She first got interested in local government when she joined forces with fellow resident Bob Pecot to form the Sunnyhills Improvement Association. “The whole purpose was to improve and beautify the neighborhood. We had neighborhood cleanups and graffiti cleanups,” Montano told Milpitas Beat. “And we started coming to City Hall and challenging them.” From there she went on to run for a local school board, where she served two terms. After two unsuccessful campaigns, she finally won a seat in 2012.

Day job: Retired school teacher who occasionally works as a substitute at various school districts.

Alma maters: San Jose State University (bachelor’s degree, humanities/liberal studies); Callifornia State Univeristy Monterey Bay (teaching credential, CLAD/BCLAD emphasis)

Notable quote: “I attribute [my win] to my years of public service. It’s all grassroots, and my merits. People saw what I did in the community. And the fact that I was raised here speaks volumes.”