Graciela Rivera-Oven, the sitting president of the Montgomery County Board of Education, is seeking reelection to the District 1 seat in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The race is nonpartisan.

Rivera-Oven, a Germantown resident, has represented District 1 since 2023, according to her board biography. She became board president on Dec. 1, 2025, and chairs the Committee on Special Populations. She is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.

Born in La Paz, Bolivia, Rivera-Oven came to the United States as a child and grew up in Montgomery County Public Schools. She graduated from Gaithersburg High School and later studied criminal justice at Montgomery College before earning a bachelor's degree in legal studies at Hood College.

Candidate information

  • Residence: Germantown, Maryland
  • Birthplace: La Paz, Bolivia
  • Education: Criminal justice, Montgomery College; bachelor's degree in legal studies, Hood College
  • High school: Gaithersburg High School
  • Family: Mother of three children, all of whom attended Montgomery County Public Schools

Experience and public service

Rivera-Oven's board biography lists the following experience:

  • President, Montgomery County Board of Education (since Dec. 1, 2025)
  • Board member, District 1, Montgomery County Board of Education (since 2023)
  • Chair, Committee on Special Populations, Montgomery County Board of Education
  • Founder and chief executive officer, The Upcounty Hub (founded 2020)
  • Maryland Public Defender's Office (employment)
  • Maryland State's Attorney's Office (employment)

On the issues

Family engagement in education: Rivera-Oven, in a response published on her board biography page, said she is a strong advocate for family engagement as a shared responsibility and a bridge between schools and communities. She said she believes that when families feel welcomed, respected and included in decision-making, students are more confident, supported and successful.

The response above is the candidate's own statement, published on the Board of Education website.

Endorsements

Rivera-Oven has received the following endorsement, as claimed by the endorser, according to BallotReady:

  • Maryland State Education Association

This profile was built from publicly available records and the candidate's published responses. School board candidates recently debated budget and technology issues at a public forum.