Andrae Gonzales is a Councilmember and nonprofit leader with deep roots in Kern County.
Andrae was elected to the Bakersfield City Council in 2016 and has earned a reputation as a dynamic and productive advocate for residents. As a Councilmember and Vice Mayor, Andrae has led several historic efforts aimed at transforming the future of Bakersfield: he championed the effort to build Bakersfield’s first low-barrier homeless shelter; he initiated the creation of one of the Central Valley’s first community land trusts to expand access to homeownership for first-time homebuyers; and he attracted, retained, and supported dozens of new small businesses in Downtown Bakersfield, spurring revitalization in Bakersfield’s city center. Andrae also serves as Chairman of the City Council’s Budget and Finance Committee, is a member of the Legislative and Litigation Committee, is a member of the Water Resources Committee, and is the Chairman of the Housing & Homelessness Committee. Andrae was recently awarded the 2025 Dennis Wallace Community Leadership Award at SJVHC’s 14th Annual Affordable Housing Conference. Professionally, Andrae works as the Nonprofit Executive Director of Stewards, a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to adults with mental disabilities, including more than 1,000 clients in Kern County. He is also a co-founder of several local nonprofit organizations that support struggling families in Kern County, including Faith in Action, Children First, Kern Alliance of Nonprofits, and Hub of Bakersfield.
Before his service on the City Council, Andrae served as a Trustee on the Bakersfield City School District Board of Education from 2010 to 2016, where he worked to improve public education and outcomes for more than 30,000 local students.
Andrae was born and raised in Bakersfield. After graduating from East Bakersfield High School, he earned his bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley.
