From Social Worker to Board President, Noelia Corzo Takes the Helm in San Mateo County

Redwood City -Noelia Corzo, the daughter of Guatemalan immigrants whose years as a social worker shaped her views on housing, public safety and the safety net, was sworn in Tuesday as president of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors.

In that role, she becomes the first Indigenous person and Latina to serve as board president and will help set policy and funding priorities for programs she once relied upon as a child and later as a single mother raising her son in San Mateo, where she grew up.

The 35-year-old took the oath of office just before 10 a.m., her mother, Aura Solorzano, to her right and her father, Hugo Corzo, to her left. Corzo was sworn in by her partner, Justin Terry, a Marine Corps veteran, and her 14-year-old son, Mikey Alvarado-Corzo. Minutes later, she delivered her first remarks as president of an elected Board that oversees a $5.5 billion annual budget touching nearly everyone from Daly City to East Palo Alto, from the Pacific Coast to San Francisco Bay.

"I personally refuse to accept that it is normal and OK for working-class families to pay more than 30 percent of their income just to have a roof over their heads," she said to a standing-room-only audience in the Board Chambers and broadcast via Zoom.

"I refuse to accept that it is normal for families to have to pay exorbitant amounts of money to keep their fridges full or to ensure that their children are cared for while they work. That should not be the norm in the United States," she said. "It shouldn't be the norm in California, and it shouldn't be the norm in San Mateo County."

Corzo's rise has drawn attention beyond San Mateo County. In 2018, Timemagazineincluded her on its cover along with other women as emblematic of a new generation of local leaders motivated to run for office by lived experience with the challenges facing their communities.

Corzo framed her presidency around the idea of shared prosperity, saying the County's economic growth must translate into tangible stability for working families, renters and small businesses across San Mateo County as well as in her District 2, which includes San Mateo, Foster City and parts of Belmont.

Corzo said she will prioritize issues such as representation, calling for the formation of a human rights commission and a convening that will bring together members of the LGBTQIA+ community. She also pledged to focus on core local issues, such as lobbying the state to recover nearly $38 million in fundslegally owed to local agencies, a number that compounds every year.

Supervisor Lisa Gauthier made the motion to appoint Corzo as president and Supervisor Ray Mueller as vice president. Supervisor Speier seconded the motion.

Corzo's election followed a policy change approved unanimously by the Board in December 2023, replacing an informal seniority-based practice with a district-based rotation designed to ensure every supervisorial district has a regular opportunity to serve in the presidency.

Corzo and Mueller both won elections in 2022 and were sworn into office in January 2023.Mueller represents District 3, which includes much of the Coastside as well as the communities of Atherton, Woodside and Portola Valley, Emerald Hills and parts of Menlo Park.

His priorities have included community resilience, affordable housing, emergency preparedness and public safety.

"These are uncertain times. The economy is squeezing the middle class and working class, seniors and young adults, renters and homeowners alike. Inflation is rampant and seemingly affecting everything from the cost of food to insurance to healthcare," Mueller said.

"In the next year I plan to work with my colleagues to reinvigorate the County's economic engine, focusing on the creation of new jobs, as well as providing much-needed relief to our County's residents."

Corzo presented outgoing Board President David Canepa with a gift on behalf of her colleagues. Canepa thanked his colleagues and County staff for their partnership over the past year.

"Congratulations to President Corzo and Vice President Mueller," Canepa said. "San Mateo County is on exceptionally strong footing, with a clear commitment to protecting core services while planning responsibly for the future. I'm confident President Corzo's focus on shared prosperity, sound governance, and community engagement will build on the foundation of one of the most resilient budgets in the state, nearly $580 million in reserves and guide the County through the opportunities and challenges ahead."

Corzo leaned into her heritage as a Latina with Guatemalan and Mayan roots. Following her oath, representatives of the Native and Indigenous Peoples Initiativeheld a cleansing ceremony that included spraying an elixir of herbs and essential oils.

"I am deeply committed to serving every single one of our neighbors, whether you share in my beliefs or not, whether we look the same or not, whether we speak the same languages or not, we represent all of you, and I have said many times, and I'll say it again, I don't have all the answers, but I do believe that they exist in our community," Corzo said.

The crowd then exited Board Chambers for a reception featuring homemade arroz con leche as well as tortillas, plantains, black beans and more.

Effie Milionis Verducci
Interim Director of Strategic Communication
650-407-4915
[email protected]