Nichelle Henderson

Member of the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees in Inglewood, California

Nichelle Henderson is a candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction in Statewide, California — 2026 Primary Election. Running as Nonpartisan (Democratic).

Also running: Anthony Rendon, Frank Lara, Al Muratsuchi, Richard Barrera, Wendy Castaneda Leal, Ainye Long, Gus Mattammal, Josh Newman, Sonja Shaw.

Nichelle Henderson is a college faculty member, union organizer, and a member of the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees, where she was elected president for 2024. She has a background as a middle school classroom teacher and currently works at California State University, Los Angeles as a Faculty Advisor and Clinical Field Supervisor for the Cal State TEACH teacher preparation program. Her career in education began as a paraprofessional in her child's preschool, which inspired her to change her major from electrical engineering to liberal studies at Cal State Los Angeles. She later earned a master's degree in education from Chapman University. Henderson is an alumna of the Emerge CA political training program, the Los Angeles African American Women's Public Policy Institute, and the LA County Federation of Labor's Civic Leadership Academy. If elected, she would be the first Black woman to serve as California's Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Website: https://www.hendersonforcasuperintendent.org/