John Gioia is Chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors where he was first elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2002, 2006 and 2010, and also served as Chair of the Board in 2002 and 2006.  John represents 200,000 residents in the communities of El Cerrito, Richmond, San Pablo, El Sobrante, Kensington, Montalvin Manor, North Richmond, East Richmond Heights and Rollingwood.

John serves on many boards and commissions, including:  the Board of Supervisors Finance and Public Protection Committees, Association of Bay Area Governments Executive Board, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, Bay Area Air Quality Management District Board, San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, Bay Area Regional Airport Planning Committee, RYSE Youth Center Board, Bay Area Social Equity Caucus Steering Committee, Contra Costa County Employees’ Retirement Association Board of Trustees, and is the Chair of the Doctors’ Medical Center Management Board.

John grew up in West Contra Costa County where he graduated from El Cerrito High School and the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. with highest honors in Political Science and earned his law degree from Boalt Hall School of Law at U.C. Berkeley.  John practiced business and land use law in San Francisco and Richmond until his election to the Board of Supervisors.

John also served on the East Bay Municipal Utility District Board of Directors from 1989 to 1998 and was President of EBMUD in 1995 and 1996. 

John’s public service was inspired by his father, who was a civics teacher at Kennedy High School in Richmond for 20 years.   John has worked to build coalitions to address issues challenging our community such as access to healthcare, affordable housing, homelessness, youth violence, environmental justice, equal access to public transportation, and quality after-school programs for all children.  John is recognized in the Bay Area as a leader in regional government cooperation and is a strong advocate for the residents of West Contra Costa County’s diverse communities.

John lives in Richmond and is the proud parent of Christopher, a student at U.C. Berkeley, and 6 year old Emilia.  John’s wife, Jennifer Peck, is the Executive Director of the Partnership for Children and Youth.