José Guardiola grew up in Commerce City with deep roots and a passion for lifting up the people and neighborhoods too often left behind. The son of a union railroad worker, José moved to Commerce City with his family in 1983. Today, he lives in the Belle Creek neighborhood with his wife Lisa—whom he met at Adams City High School—and their son, Jose Luis, a third-generation Eagle at Adams City High School and their pug, Gus.

A proud graduate of MSU Denver and Adams State, José holds a Bachelor’s in Behavioral Science with a minor in Chicano/a Studies and a Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration Leadership. He currently serves as the Executive Director of College and Career Readiness for the Sheridan School District #2, helping students across the Denver metropolitan area access higher education and brighter futures.

José previously served a full term on the Commerce City Council and has spent decades serving the community through organizations like INSPIRE, Homie Unidos, Reaching Hope, and the Community Choice Supervisory Board. He helped make Veterans Park accessible and ADA-compliant—one of his proudest accomplishments—and has consistently fought to make city government more responsive, inclusive, and connected to residents.

Now, he's running again to give voice to the people of Ward 1, who often feel ignored by leaders and elected officials. José is laser-focused on ensuring ward 1 receives it's fair share of city resources and fixing what matters most: safe streets, reducing crime, addressing homelessness, and creating good-paying, local jobs that let families stay close to home. He supports expanding trade jobs in Commerce City—especially in communities like his own—because they provide union jobs, strong wages, and vital tax revenue that funds services across the city. Jose is not afraid to speak honestly about his support for the trades and blue collar workers and he also has a record of delivering accountability.

A proud Latino leader, José is committed to increasing diversity in city leadership, holding city hall accountable, and creating opportunity for all residents. He believes that every family—whether in the north or the core—deserves a city government that listens, leads with equity, and delivers results.

When he’s not serving students or knocking doors, you’ll find José at his son’s basketball games, fishing, or collecting sports cards—part of his lifelong habit of “memory hoarding.”