Meet the Candidate
Rooted in Dixon. Focused on our schools.
Julian Cuevas grew up in Dixon, attended Dixon schools, and is now raising his own family here.
As President of the Dixon School Board, he’s worked alongside educators, families, and staff to help guide the district through some of its toughest challenges - strengthening leadership, stabilizing finances, and making long-overdue investments in teachers and staff.
That work has helped put Dixon on track for its first balanced budget in years and laid the foundation for stronger schools.
For Julian, this isn’t just public service - it’s personal. And he’s committed to continuing the steady, community-driven work to move Dixon forward.
Where it Started.
Julian is the son of Mexican immigrants who came to the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. After working in the fields, his parents built their lives around service - eventually settling in Dixon in 1978.
His mother spent over 30 years with Dixon Unified School District, supporting students and families - especially in migrant education and special education programs. His father, a U.S. Army veteran, served in local law enforcement for nearly four decades, including with the Dixon Police Department, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, and the District Attorney’s Office.
That example - hard work, sacrifice, and a commitment to community - shaped Julian from an early age.
He and his siblings grew up in Dixon and attended local public schools. Those experiences, and the educators and mentors who supported them along the way, continue to inform how he approaches this work today.
Julian went on to build a career focused on expanding opportunity and strengthening outcomes for students and families - work that has taken him across California in education, public policy, and community leadership. Along the way, he’s worked with school districts, state leaders, and nonprofit organizations to advance equity in education and support stronger
connections between communities and the systems that serve them.
But through it all, Dixon has remained home. Today, Julian and his wife Jessica, a speech-language pathologist, are raising their three children - Mateo, Sofia, and Camila in the same community that helped shape him. And it’s that full-circle perspective - as a former student, a parent, and a community member - that continues to guide his commitment to Dixon’s schools.
The work we've
taken on.
Over the past four years, Dixon schools have faced real challenges - from leadership transitions to long-standing financial issues.
Together, we’ve taken those challenges head-on - making tough decisions to stabilize the district and better support students, staff, and families.
That work has meant:
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Stabilizing leadership by recruiting and supporting a new Superintendent and leadership team
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Bringing greater transparency and accountability to district finances and priorities
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Making historic, equity-based investments in teachers and staff - bringing compensation in line with neighboring districts and making Dixon competitive for the first time in years
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Putting the district on track for its first balanced budget in years, creating a more stable financial future
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Expanding student opportunity through the district’s first College and Career Readiness Strategic Plan
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Strengthening academics and student support, with a focus on literacy, math, multilingual learners, mental health, school climate, and parent engagement - with early signs of improved outcomes
This progress hasn’t come easily - and it hasn’t happened alone. It’s the result of steady, collaborative work across our schools and community.
Photo courtesy of American University
Experience that supports the work.
In addition to his local service, Julian has spent his career working at the intersection of education, public policy, and community.
He currently serves as Founder and Principal of Third Space Advisory Group. He previously served as Director of California Strategy at PolicyLink, Director of Policy & Governmental Affairs at the Inland Empire Community Foundation, and Director of Government Affairs at the California Department of Education, where he worked on legislative and budget priorities impacting the over 6 million students across the state.
Earlier in his career, he led education initiatives at the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley, focused on expanding opportunity for students and families.
While that experience has taken him across California, his focus remains grounded in the importance of strong local leadership - especially in communities like Dixon.
Looking ahead, together.
Julian first ran for school board with a vision shaped by the community: access, academic success, family engagement, mental health, and school safety.
Those priorities continue to guide the work today.
As Dixon grows, he remains focused on building on that foundation - strengthening student outcomes, supporting educators, and continuing to work in partnership with families.
Because for Julian, this work is personal.
He and his wife Jessica are raising their three children - Mateo, Sofia, and Camila - in Dixon, and like so many families, they have a shared stake in the success of local schools.
This isn’t about one person. It’s about a community that cares about its schools and is willing to do the work to keep moving forward - together.
