Eddie’s Story
East Side Eddie
Born on November 6, 1963, Eddie García is a native of San Jose’s working-class east side. He is a graduate of San Jose State University and James Lick High School, where he was a two-sport athlete. Eddie is a heart attack and heart transplant survivor. In 2010, a massive blockage in an artery referred to as the “widow maker” led to a decade of living with congestive heart failure. A successful heart transplant in 2020 inspired him to write his memoir, Summer in the Waiting Room: Faith • Hope • Love.
He is the author of ESEReport.com, a blog that shares his experiences as a working-class kid, public servant, corporate executive, and heart attack survivor to uplift readers with faith, hope, and love. Eddie lives in San Jose, California with his wife Sandra. They have two daughters, Marisa and Erica.
His professional career included positions as Vice President of Local Government Affairs at Comcast in California and Chief of Staff to the President of the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors. In 2014, he founded García Strategies, a leadership development firm that provides skill development and mentorship for community leaders. He works primarily with non-profit organizations and education institutions.
Community Service
Eddie continues to be a community activist and leader. He served the education community on the East Side Union High School District (ESUHSD) Board of Trustees from 2006-2010, serving as Board President in 2010. During his tenure at the ESUHSD, he spearheaded the “A-G Initiative” – a policy that made college entrance requirements the district’s default curriculum – and led the effort to save after-school sports programs during the recession of 2006-2009.
Eddie is Co-Founder of the Latino Leadership Alliance, a leadership academy established in collaboration with Stanford University’s Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity. The program’s 150 alumni include a superior court judge, two former members of the San Jose City Council, twelve school board trustees in Santa Clara County, and scores of school administrators, non-profit executives, corporate managers, non-profit board members, and local government appointed commissioners. He is also a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum, Silicon Valley.
In 2011, Eddie was inducted into the East Side Union High School District Hall of Fame. He is the recipient of the Californians for Justice “Justice Award” and the NAACP “Freedom Fighter Award.” According to San Jose Magazine, Eddie is one of the most influential Latino leaders in Silicon Valley. In 2008, the San Francisco Business Times listed him as one of the top 25 influential Latinos in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Eddie Today
With the gift of a new heart (nicknamed Idaho), Eddie focuses most of his energy on taking care of Idaho by eating right, exercising, and trying to live one moment at a time. He also spends his time speaking, reading, writing, appearing at book events and on podcasts, and working on community passion projects. His favorite thing to do is hang out with Sandra, Marisa, Erica, and Uchis.
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Contact Eddie to speak at your next event!
Phone: (408) 426-7698
Email: eddie.m.garcia@comcast.net
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