Meet Rebecca Gamboa
Born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Rebecca’s parents modeled the importance of public service early in her life. Her father, a financial analyst at GE Medical Systems, emphasized the importance of every single worker in the company, spending much of his time with the union workers on the floor. He always told her, if you truly want to know how a company is doing, you talk to the people doing the work.
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Her mother was a dedicated school volunteer at Rebecca’s public schools, where she was later hired as a classroom assistant and lunchroom aide. There, she supported teachers during a time when they were forced to work without a contract, which is illegal under Wisconsin law, to ensure they didn’t have to bring any work home. Rebecca remembers stepping in to help her mom, which began her journey to become a teacher.
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She remembers the impact her educators had on her life. One high school history and economics teacher, in particular, pushed the class to think critically about how they saw the world and viewed issues of social injustice. This spurred lively discussions on topics ranging from banning nuclear weapons to addressing how to assist the unhoused population. Her high school years included the very first protest she ever participated in, she walked out of school carrying a “No Blood for Oil” sign in protest of the Gulf War.
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After graduation, Rebecca moved to Naperville to attend North Central College, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Political Science. She also received the Education Department’s Leadership Award her senior year for advocating that North Central support a professional education sorority on campus. While the sorority did not start during her senior year, she secured the college’s support and remains a vital part of the North Central community to this day.
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Her first teaching job took her to Sandwich, Illinois, a small, rural community where she witnessed the power of community support for schools. It was there that she saw it takes an entire community to support student success.
After four years in Sandwich, Rebecca moved to District 300 in Algonquin, where she began her journey as a union leader. She started as a building representative and joined the communications team, advocating for the needs of educators and students alike.
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Rebecca’s commitment to advocacy was strengthened by her husband, Paul Gamboa, a fellow educator and union leader who served as president of the teachers' union in District 204. They met while she worked in District 300, and she relocated back to Naperville to be closer to him. His tireless work and fearless leadership inspired her to deepen her involvement. After Paul’s tragic passing in 2019 due to sepsis, his legacy continues to drive her commitment to public education and community leadership.
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For the past 19 years, Rebecca has taught in Lombard, a district she proudly calls home. “I feel like this is where I was meant to be.” She loves the inclusive and supportive community, reminiscent of her early days in Sandwich, and values the diversity that enriches her district.
Determined to make an even greater impact, Rebecca became a delegate to the Illinois Education Association, stepping in when her local region lacked representation. She quickly grew into a statewide leader, serving as a Grassroots Political Activist, working with elected officials to pass education-friendly legislation and support pro-public education candidates.
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Rebecca is the former Chair of the DuPage Political Action Committee for Education (DuPACE), an organization of Illinois Education Association members focused on electing candidates who prioritize public schools. Her leadership and tireless advocacy eventually led her to run for—and win—a seat on the National Education Association (NEA) Board of Directors. Even while serving nationally, Rebecca stayed rooted in her local community. She is currently the co-president of the Lombard Education Association, where she works collaboratively with school administrators to build respectful, productive relationships that benefit students, educators, and families alike.
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In her NEA role, Rebecca represented educators at the national level, working with the offices of Congressman Sean Casten, Congressman Bill Foster, and Senator Dick Durbin.
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In 2022, Rebecca used her position in the NEA to speak at the March for Our Lives rally held in Downers Grove, advocating for common-sense gun laws to protect our students, teachers, and school staff. She emotionally recounted the cycle of inaction and the ever-growing memorial to teachers who had lost their lives to this senseless crime. She also recalls visiting Congressman Foster’s office to represent educators alongside a college student studying to become a teacher. The student told her that she and her classmates had accepted the fact that part of their role as teachers might be to defend their students from an armed assailant—a statement that has stuck with Rebecca.
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Rebecca has spent her life and career advocating for students, teachers, and strong public schools. She has taken on leadership roles at both the school and district levels, helping shape policies and practices that directly impact students every day to connect, protect, and engage all stakeholders. With over two decades of classroom experience and a proven record of education leadership, Rebecca brings both deep passion and practical know-how to the work of building better schools for every student. With strong schools, we can build a strong community.