Karla Silvestre

Candidate for Montgomery County Council At‑Large

Immigrant. Working Mom.
Proven Leader.

“I was eight years old when my family fled Guatemala. I’ve lived in many places– Montgomery County provides opportunity like no other. I’m running to protect that opportunity for the next generation.”
~Karla Silvestre

Candidata al Concejo General del Condado de Montgomery

Inmigrante. Madre trabajadora. Líder comprobada.

"Tenía ocho años cuando mi familia huyó de Guatemala. He vivido en muchos lugares; el Condado de Montgomery ofrece oportunidades como ningún otro. Me postulo para proteger esa oportunidad para la próxima generación."
~Karla Silvestre

Why I’m Running

Montgomery County gave my family the opportunities so we could thrive. 

But right now, too many families are struggling to hold onto that same opportunity.

Families are being priced out. Teachers struggle to live where they work. Federal job losses are affecting our neighbors. School funding pressures are real and serious. And people are being taken off our streets for the crime of looking like me.

We must lower housing costs so families from all income levels can stay. I know how rewarding it is to be a working parent, and how demanding it can be. I believe Montgomery County should make that balance easier by expanding access to affordable, reliable child care. We must strengthen our local economy, supporting small businesses and attracting new industries as federal instability reshapes our region. And we must connect education to real opportunity so every graduate leaves with a path to a good-paying job.

I once left a country where speaking up carried risk.

I’m not leaving this one.

Montgomery County is home. I’m running for County Council because I want to protect the opportunity that shaped my life, and make sure it’s still here for the families coming next. I believe in public schools, good jobs, immigrant families, economic opportunity, and responsible government.

I’ve lived the promise of this country and county–  and I know how fragile that promise can be. Today, we are seeing immigrants detained on sidewalks and outside workplaces, families disrupted in an instant. That could have been my family. Our neighbors’ lives are being upturned by layoffs in the Federal government. Local leadership matters in moments like this. Montgomery County must stand firm in protecting due process and community trust and helping all of our neighbors through these turbulent times.

I’m running to protect it, strengthen it, and make it real for the next generation.

My Priorities

  • A strong tax base funds everything we care about.

    For 13+ years at Montgomery College, I’ve helped connect residents to education and careers. I see where the system works — and where it doesn’t.

    On the Council, I will:

    • Eliminate redundant approvals and streamline permitting without lowering standards

    • Work to lower the cost of child care by expanding options, including family-based child care centers

    • Expand apprenticeships and pathways to education and employment

    • Support small and minority-owned businesses

    • Align workforce programs with real job demand

    • Help federal workers connect to new jobs

    Opportunity should be built — not assumed.

  • If we don’t build enough housing, prices will keep rising.

    That pushes out teachers, young families, and seniors.

    We need smart growth that meets the moment and our community's needs.

    On the Council, I will:

    • Support building more housing near transit to give families more affordable options, reduce traffic, and create more walkable communities

    • Expand “missing middle” housing options (townhouses and apartment buildings)

    • Speed up permitting without cutting safety standards

    • Align growth with schools and infrastructure

    • Ensure new development contributes fairly

    • Expand the use of Accessory Dwelling Units (basement apartments) as a more affordable housing option

    • Continue to build mixed-income and deeply affordable housing

    If we want families to stay, we have to build for them.

  • A strong public school system attracts new families and employers to our county. Montgomery County’s public schools must deliver real results — for every student.

    I served eight years on the Montgomery County Board of Education, including as Board President. I oversaw a $3.6 billion system and made hard decisions during the pandemic and leadership transition. I focused on return on investment in education, ensuring every student had a post-graduation plan, and consistent delivery of a rigorous education across the system.

    Strong schools require both investment and accountability.

    On the Council, I will:

    • Protect sustainable school funding

    • Demand clear, transparent budgets showing how the funding is being spent

    • Strengthen seamless pathways from MCPS to Montgomery College, four-year institutions, and high-demand career programs

    • Ensure graduation means real post-secondary readiness

    • Ensure our students have experienced teachers and principals, strong academics, and safe schools

    Diplomas must open doors.

  • My family came here seeking stability and opportunity.

    Montgomery County must remain welcoming — an inclusive community where everyone, regardless of background or ability, feels welcome, safe, and able to fully participate.

    The county should protect LGBTQ+ residents from discrimination, invest in inclusive services and spaces, and ensure everyone can live safely, openly, and with opportunity.

    On the Council, I will:

    • Protect access to county services without fear

    • Support legal and crisis assistance for immigrant families

    • Strengthen language access across agencies

    • Partner with trusted community organizations

    • Stand firmly for due process, family unity, and the right of every resident to access schools and services without fear

    • Ensure full accessibility in housing, transit, and public spaces so people with disabilities can fully participate in community life

    Inclusion must be backed by real support systems.

  • Montgomery County should be a place where people can grow older with dignity, independence, and connection to their community.

    On the Council, I will:

    • Expand programs that help seniors safely age in place in their homes and neighborhoods

    • Strengthen community-based support networks that reduce isolation and help seniors stay connected

    • Improve coordination between housing, transportation, and health services for older adults

    • Support family caregivers and ensure they have access to respite and support resources

    • Encourage intergenerational programs that connect seniors with students and young families

    • Partner with proven community models that help older adults remain independent and active

    Strong communities support people at every stage of life.

  • Our values must show up in our budgets, and our budgets must deliver results.

    As Chair of the Fiscal Management Committee, I help oversee one of the largest public budgets in our region.

    Residents deserve clarity and results.

    On the Council, I will:

    • Make budgets easier to understand

    • Evaluate programs based on outcomes

    • Resist unsustainable borrowing

    • Simplify processes that frustrate residents and slow down small businesses — without reducing essential public services

    • Protect core services while improving efficiency

    • Make it easier to access services when needed

    • Work with our county employees to make government more efficient and effective

    Good government is steady and accountable.

  • Safety is foundational.

    Families deserve safe neighborhoods and safe schools. Public safety must prevent harm — not just respond to it.

    On the Council, I will:

    • Support strong gun violence prevention focused on illegal firearms, ghost guns, and safe gun storage

    • Expand youth mentorship, street outreach, after-school, and summer employment programs

    • Expand mental health and crisis response coordination

    • Ensure transparent reporting on public safety outcomes

    • Invest in de-escalation and bias training

    • Hire officers who reflect the community

    Safety starts with opportunity — education, jobs, and mentorship that reduce crime before it happens. Public safety requires prevention, accountability, and responsible leadership.

  • I support frequent, affordable, and safe transit that makes taking the bus or Metro the easiest choice for everyone.

    I support preparing Montgomery County for climate change by upgrading infrastructure, protecting our streams and trees, promoting clean energy, and making sure all residents—especially those most vulnerable—are safe and resilient.

    On the Council, I will:

    • Support transit-oriented development in appropriate growth corridors

    • Expand EV charging and energy efficiency infrastructure

    • Protect and preserve the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve

    • Align land use decisions with long-term climate goals

    • Focus on measurable environmental impact and fiscal responsibility

    Sustainability and affordability must go hand in hand.

My Story

I was eight years old when my family fled Guatemala after my father was blacklisted for organizing with Indigenous farmers. Weeks after we left, our home was raided. We started over in America with nothing.

My parents worked survival jobs. I learned English, qualified for reduced lunch, and got my first job at 15. Education opened doors that once felt closed to families like mine.

Montgomery County gave my family the chance to thrive. I raised my daughters here, served eight years on the Board of Education, and I’m running for County Council to make sure that same opportunity is still within reach for the next generation.

  • We settled in York, Pennsylvania, living with another Guatemalan family — eleven people in one house.

    In Guatemala, my mother had been a teacher and my father a trained professional. In the United States, they were undocumented and working survival jobs. My father picked apples and worked third shift at a casket factory. My mother cleaned at a clothing factory.

    The Catholic Church helped us find housing above a rectory and secure scholarships so we could attend the local catholic school. I remember struggling to pronounce simple English words. I qualified for reduced cost lunch, and I saw firsthand how programs like that can help families stay on their feet during hard times.

    At 15, my mother told me it was time to get a job. I started busing tables at a local restaurant. Later I worked as a grocery store cashier and in my college language lab.

    My parents had college degrees. In America, they were doing manual labor.

    That experience shaped how I see work, dignity, and opportunity. It grounded me.

  • I pushed myself into honors and AP classes and figured out the college process largely on my own. After only one of my grandparents had graduated from high school, I earned my degree in Biology from Florida State University.

    After graduation, I worked in a marine biology lab. One afternoon, after spending hours analyzing samples under a microscope, I realized something important: I was volunteering to teach English to migrant workers on evenings and weekends, and those hours felt more meaningful than anything I was doing in the lab.

    I decided to change course.

    I earned my master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from the University of Pennsylvania and committed my career to expanding access to education and workforce opportunity.

    Education changed my life by opening doors that once felt closed to families like mine. I wanted to help open those same doors for others.

  • My husband and I moved to Montgomery County for his work with the federal government, and we settled in Silver Spring. I have now lived here longer than anywhere else in my life.

    We raised our daughters in Montgomery County Public Schools. Like many families in this region, we balanced careers without extended family nearby. There were moments when it felt like we were stretching time and energy as far as they could go — scrambling for childcare, worrying about safety, wondering whether we were getting it right.

    Those experiences shaped how I see working families today. I understand how thin the margins can feel, even when you’re doing everything you can.

  • Shortly after moving to Silver Spring, I began volunteering with Montgomery County Public Schools. For ten years, I served on all types of parent advisory committees, attended meetings after work leaving my young family at home to try to contribute wherever I could.

    When a vacancy opened on the Montgomery County Board of Education, community members encouraged me to run. After serving as an advocate for over ten years, I knew the system and had much to contribute to impact change. Hispanic students made up a quarter of the district, yet there had not been a Hispanic board member in a decade.

    I decided to step up.

    I was elected and served eight years, including as Board President. During that time, we navigated the pandemic, a major leadership transition, and significant system reforms. I pushed for greater budget transparency, expanded access to high-demand academic programs, strengthened staff diversity, and worked to ensure every graduate leaves with a clear plan after graduation.

    I’ve also spent more than 13 years at Montgomery College, helping connect residents to workforce pathways so they can get better paying jobs and seeing firsthand the economic pressures families are facing.

    I’ve learned that leadership is rarely glamorous. It’s steady, difficult work in collaboration with others — often behind the scenes — that makes a real difference in people’s lives.

Leadership & Experience

  • Karla was elected countywide to the Montgomery County Board of Education in 2018 and went on to serve two consecutive terms as Board President during one of the most challenging periods in the district’s history.

    Today, she chairs the Fiscal Management Committee, overseeing the school system’s $3.6 billion budget — ensuring transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of public dollars.

    During her eight years on the Board, Karla:

    • Led through the COVID-19 pandemic and a major superintendent transition

    • Strengthened academic recovery efforts after pandemic disruptions

    • Increased budget transparency so families can clearly see how funds are spent

    • Expanded access to high-demand academic programs

    • Focused on return on investment and long-term student outcomes

    • Helped ensure every graduate leaves with a concrete post-secondary plan

    She understands that strong public schools require both compassion and fiscal discipline.

  • Karla serves as Director of Community Engagement at Montgomery College, where she helps connect residents to education, skills training, and workforce pathways.

    Her work bridges students, employers, and community organizations– strengthening the pipeline from classroom to career.

  • Earlier in her career, Karla served as a community liaison in the Office of Community Partnerships under County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett.

    In that role, she worked directly with residents and community leaders, helping county government respond more effectively and equitably to the people it serves.

    • 25 years of experience in education, community engagement, and workforce development

    • Mother of two Montgomery County Public Schools graduates

    • Silver Spring resident

Proudly Supported By

  • "Working families have always had a champion in Karla Silvestre on the Montgomery County Board of Education. We need her to take those values to the Montgomery County Council and continue the fight for us. This is why SEIU Local 500 supports and endorses her for election."

    SEIU Local 500 Executive Director, Travis Simon

  • "Karla’s experience on the Board of Education and her understanding of how Council decisions impact our schools makes her uniquely qualified to serve as Council Member and continue to be a champion for public education."

    Montgomery County Public Schools Retirees Association

  • Endorsed by the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association

  • Endorsed by Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS

  • Endorsed by the Greater Greater Washington

  • "Karla Silvestre is exactly the kind of leader our community needs. Her deep experience in education, community engagement, and fiscal management shows she’s ready to tackle our toughest challenges. Karla is committed, capable, and grounded in the values that make Montgomery County strong. I’m proud to endorse her for County Council At-Large."

    Michael Subin, Former Montgomery County Councilmember

  • "This moment calls for us to identify leaders that lead with compassion, that lead with strength and have the experience necessary to meet this moment in our Country's history. That is one of the many reasons I am so proud to support my friend Karla Silvestre to be the next County Council At-Large member"

    Gabe Albornoz, Former Montgomery County Council At-Large

  • "We need Councilmembers who can bring people together and listen to each side, someone we all know is going to treat everyone with fairness and someone who keeps her cool in stressful situations. Especially in these difficult times, we need Karla Silvestre on the County Council."

    Bruce Adams, Former Montgomery County Councilmember and Former Director of Community Partnerships for County Executive Ike Leggett

  • "Karla Silvestre has the experience in local government and relationships throughout the community that make her ready to tackle Montgomery County’s toughest challenges on day one."

    George Leventhal, Former Montgomery County Councilmember

  • "I support Karla because the County Council needs experienced, pragmatic leaders. I have worked with Karla for many years and I have always been impressed by her thoughtful, independent approach."

    Hans Riemer, Former Montgomery County Councilmember

  • "Karla Silvestre has the leadership and vision to make Montgomery County stronger, more inclusive, and ready for the future. She’ll be an outstanding member of the County Council."

    Tom Hucker, Former Montgomery County Councilmember

  • "We need leaders who will focus on growing our economy to strengthen our community. Karla is a pragmatic yet principled leader who understands deeply where we need to go as a county and how to bring communities together."

    Lily Qi, State Delegate (D15)

  • "Karla Silvestre is a proven leader who understands how strong schools, economic opportunity and community partnerships make Montgomery County thrive. I’m proud to support her for County Council At-Large."

    Linda Foley, State Delegate (D15)

  • "Karla has spent her career working for students and families with a proven record of making very difficult decisions. I know she'll continue that work to strengthen opportunity and quality of life across Montgomery County."

    David Fraser-Hidalgo, State Delegate (D15)

  • "I’m proud to endorse Karla Silvestre because she understands that Montgomery County’s future depends on strong schools, responsible growth, and making our community more affordable for families. Karla has shown the leadership and practical approach we need on the County Council to support education, strengthen our economy, and make thoughtful decisions about how our county grows."

    Brian Feldman, Maryland State Senator (D15)

  • "Trying times require strong leadership, trying times require proven leadership. Karla Silvestre is that person."

    Brenda Wolff, School Board Member (D5)

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