An attorney, experienced county leader, mom and the daughter of immigrants - Betty Duong is a lifelong resident of San Jose. From humble beginnings in East San Jose, Betty faced many challenges throughout her life and now serves the community that raised her. Betty is running for Santa Clara County Supervisor to leverage her experience and passion to champion the issues that matter most to our community.
With deep roots in our community, Betty Duong understands our needs and our issues
Born and raised in San Jose, Betty is a lifelong resident of Santa Clara County’s District 2. Betty’s family arrived in San Jose after the Viet Nam War. As clients of the County’s Refugee Resettlement Program, the family lived in downtown San Jose Section 8 housing before moving to the Eastside to rebuild their lives and create new roots in America.
Betty spent her childhood translating for her parents, family members and neighbors, helping them navigate government agencies, social services and safety net resources. Her parents worked multiple jobs and late hours to support their family, often leaving Betty and her sisters to care for each other. Their family relied on county benefits to help them make ends meet. Betty has directly experienced the benefits of good government services and the consequences of bad local policy.
A story of success, Betty Duong is a homegrown leader using her lived experience to help others
Despite her challenging childhood, Betty worked hard to overcome the odds. She went to De Anza Community College and then transferred to the University of California, Berkeley to complete her undergraduate education. She then went on to receive a Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Davis King Hall School of Law.
After law school, Betty interned with the Santa Clara County Public Defender's Office. There she learned firsthand that it’s most important to help those in need of mental health services, work and housing before they become part of the criminal justice system.
Betty Duong has a proven record as an effective county leader, making government services more accessible to everyone
For the last 10 years, Betty has worked at the County at several different levels, using her lived experience to make the county a better place and aid people just like her to access the help they need to be successful.
She has been instrumental in creating projects like:
- Vietnamese American Service Center addressing health and social disparities
- The County’s Language Access Policy ensuring her community members receive the help they deserve
Betty has served as the head of many County offices that serve residents, including:
- The Vietnamese American Service Center (VASC)
- The Division of Equity & Social Justice
- The County Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE)
- The lead Public Information Officer during COVID-19
As the lead Public Information Officer, Betty initiated the Language Access Unit, which is now a permanent program in the County’s operation. In 2016, Betty briefly left the County to manage the successful Measure A campaign, which created $950 million for affordable housing in Santa Clara County. Betty currently serves as Supervisor Cindy Chavez's chief of staff.
Betty Duong is ready to take on our toughest challenges - for her family and yours
Betty and her husband, Khai, still live in San Jose, in Downtown. They have two children, Nikolas and Harper. They understand the struggles of families trying to raise their children successfully in San Jose. That’s why Betty is running for Santa Clara County Supervisor. Her commitment to tackling homelessness, making our neighborhoods safe and creating more affordable housing is deeply personal.