Karl Frisch

Karl Frisch is an accomplished public policy advocate and non-profit executive. In 2019, Karl was elected to represent Providence District on the Fairfax County School Board, ultimately garnering more votes than any candidate for that office in the district’s history and becoming the first openly LGBTQ+ person elected to local office in Virginia’s largest county. He is one of the Commonwealth’s only two out school board members.

Since his election, Karl has successfully opposed efforts to ban LGBTQ-inclusive books, sponsored the policy giving transgender students the strongest protections in Virginia, sponsored the successful proposal allowing alumni who change their names to request replacement diplomas, sponsored successful changes to family life education to include representation of LGBTQ+ parents, and sponsored the school division’s first recognition of Pride Month – now an annual tradition. For this work and more, Karl has been recognized as a “Hero” by Capital Pride and an “Indomitable Champion” by FCPS Pride.

Additionally, Karl has led efforts to eliminate literacy gaps, teach accurate history, expand access to advanced academics, address climate change, protect schools from gun violence, rename schools that honored the Confederacy, keep immigrant families together, and creatively address overcrowding.

Karl lives in Tysons with his partner Evan, a long-time teacher in local public schools. They are the proud dog dads of Dexter, an energetic twelve-year-old Wheaten Terrier mix.