FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, October 15, 2018
Contact: Mayor’s Office of Communications, 415-554-6131

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MAYOR LONDON BREED APPOINTS FAAUUGA MOLIGA TO SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION

Moliga to fill vacant seat

San Francisco, CA—Mayor London Breed today appointed Faauuga Moliga to serve on the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) Board of Education.

Moliga is a San Francisco native and SFUSD alumnus who has dedicated his career to serving underprivileged students and members of the community. He currently works for the San Francisco Department of Public Health Comprehensive Crisis Services, a mobile entity that provides psychiatric interventions to adults and children in crisis. Moliga previously served as a social worker and trauma specialist at numerous local schools. 

"I am proud to appoint my fellow SFUSD alumnus Faauuga Moliga to the Board of Education," said Mayor London Breed. "Faauuga has spent his entire life in service to our community. His direct, firsthand experience with our public schools, his deep community ties, and his expertise in developing holistic programs that support our youth, particularly those whose lives have been impacted by trauma, give him a unique perspective that I am confident will immediately benefit the Board of Education and our students."

In 2006, Moliga founded Take Out Until Completely Healed (T.O.U.C.H.) to address the achievement gap he witnessed in local public schools. He served as Executive Director for six years, during which time T.O.U.C.H. supported over 100 young women per year, with a 90% college transition rate for participating high school seniors. He then served as Prevention Early Intervention Coordinator at Bayview YMCA Beacon, where he developed student advocacy programs aimed at curbing the push-out rate at Burton High School, which was the highest in the City. After four years, the community school approach that Moliga implemented increased the school’s attendance by 400 students and cut the push-out rate in half.

"I am honored to be appointed to the Board of Education by Mayor Breed," said Moliga.  "Throughout my career, I have worked with our students and created policies that keep them in school to graduate. I'm excited to help our students access opportunities enjoyed in a community schools model that can reduce the opportunity gap throughout the San Francisco Unified School District."

After receiving a Master's Degree in Social Work, Moliga re-dedicated himself to SFUSD by serving as the Therapist at June Jordan School for Equity. While at the school, Moliga was able to provide counseling to students following a traumatic school shooting, helping the community to heal and return to the classroom.

Moliga is filling a seat that was recently vacated when former School Board Member Hydra Mendoza-McDonnell resigned. He will serve out the remainder of the current term and is seeking election for full term in the upcoming November General Election.

Moliga graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Justice Studies and a Master of Social Work from San Jose State University. A father of three children in public schools, he lives in the Oceanview neighborhood.

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