User:Cmcrabtr/sandbox

Chad Crabtree
Chad Michael Crabtree (born January 15, 1975) is an American teacher & elected official from Indiana. A member of the Democratic Party, Crabtree represents the 2nd District on the Elkhart City Common Council —which is west of downtown and northwest of the City of Elkhart. He made history in 2023 when he became the first openly LGBTQ+ person to be elected to the Elkhart City Common Council and the first in Elkhart County.

Early Life and Education
Crabtree was born on January 15, 1975, to John and Phyllis Crabtree. He has a younger brother, Bryan. Crabtree grew up in Elkhart, Indiana and attended then Elkhart Memorial High School graduating in 1998 from Indiana University South Bend where he majored in political science. He is a member of the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity’s IU South Bend Iota Gamma chapter.

Career
Crabtree is a 7th grade social studies teacher at West Side Middle School.

Elkhart City Council
Crabtree was elected to the Elkhart City Common Council in 2023. There are 6 members elected by voters in each of the six (6) city council districts, plus three (3) additional members elected at large by all the voters of the city.  Crabtree chairs the Planning & Development Committee. He is council liaison to the Board of Public Works and the Board of Public Safety. His campaign for the city council was endorsed by The Victory Fund.

Democratic Party Chairman
In March of 1999 Crabtree was elected Chairman of the Elkhart County Democratic Party defeating Elkhart City attorney Paul Eash. He resigned in August of 2000 to run for the Indiana State House of Representatives District 48 and was defeated by incumbent Dean Mock. Crabtree successfully ran again for Elkhart County Democratic Party Chairman and was elected on March 4, 2017. He defeated community activist Jason Moreno, retired educator Carl Rust and campaign staffer Tim Perry. Crabtree had previously served as party secretary from March 2, 2013. In August of 2020 Crabtree served as national delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee which was online due to COVID 19.

Personal life
Crabtree resides in Elkhart. In his spare time he is a flag enthusiast, amateur beekeeper and volunteers with the Midwest Dachshund Rescue. He is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Elkhart.