LEADING & TEACHING

Professor, California Baptist University      Riverside, CA                                    

5/12– present

à       Tenured faculty and researcher of Political Science and Public Administration            

à       Develop programs: Bachelor of Arts, Public Administration, Masters, Criminal Justice

à       Develop curriculum for programs under my purview (Public Administration, Criminal Justice, and History) for asynchronous online modality.

à       Collaborate with the Curriculum committee and Registrar to adopt courses and programs

à       Conduct regular program evaluations of courses to measure the alignment of courses with student learning outcomes, and program effectiveness.

à       Facilitate WASC accreditation reviews and visits.

à       Academic Affairs Leadership team member

à       Promotion and Tenure Committee member

      Curriculum Developed, Courses Taught and Evaluated:                               

Executive Leadership & Management in the Public Sector, American Politics, State and Local Government, History of Minorities in America, Principles of Public Administration, Contemporary Issues in Public Administration, Organizational Theory and Design, Public Policy, Capstone course (complete list is available upon request)        

Director of Online Education for History and Government                    

2022- Present

à       Ensure equitable access to online learners through high-quality online instruction

à      Create innovative curriculum in collaboration with faculty and designers for an inclusive, high-quality, and engaging online learning experience

à      Support and develop faculty by guiding designing and delivery of online courses.

à      Manage the schedule for all faculty according to discipline expertise, course load requirements, and course catalog offerings

Department Chair, History and Government                                                        

2019-2022

à      Formulate and evaluate performance goals with faculty teaching in Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate of Public Administration programs.

à      Manage the budget for the department, secure and allocate resources while ensuring fiscal sustainability.

à      Collaborate and engage internal and community stakeholders to promote education initiatives.

à      Lead the creation, review, and enhancement of online programs that are aligned with the university’s objectives and meet market demands.

à      Represent the department’s interests on the Curriculum Committee

à      Analyze data on market trends and student persistence to evaluate the effectiveness of academic programs.

à      Identify, Implement, and evaluate strategies for talent pipeline development and workforce planning.

à      Identify improvements to processes, policies, and systems.

à      Develop and execute programs that support diversity outreach, employee engagement initiatives, and retention efforts.

Program Coordinator: Bachelor of Arts Public Administration              

01/2015-present

à       Faculty Senate voting member

à       Train faculty on Blackboard Ultra, Quality Matters, and best practices for online pedagogy.

à       Align student learning outcomes, with program and University Objectives

à       Conducted 5-year Program Review with an external reviewer to improve the program and align with accrediting bodies.

Chair, The University President's Racial Equity Task Force                   

2020 - 2023

à       Lead the University’s Racial Equity Task Force in collaboration with faculty, Deans, and staff.

à       Advisor to the University President and Provost on initiatives for increased access, equity, and persistence of BIPOC students.

à       Support the rollout of qualitative student focus groups and quantitative surveys

à       Propose initiatives for the University to ensure students and employees of color feel safe and their concerns are institutionally valued.

à       Initiatives resulted in the first successful $3 million Title 5 grant and HSI/MSI designation.

à       Founded the Latino Student Union to elevate student voice and support HSI programming.

à       Lead and facilitate workshops resulting in increased cultural competence among staff and faculty members.

à       Develop strategies to increase student access to counseling, academic advising, financial aid, and student care.

à       Co-authored the University’s Diversity Statement.

Founder/Creator of EDI – Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Initiatives in OPS.  

2020-2023

à       Recommend revisions of curriculum and course offerings that provide diverse perspectives, resulting in a more inclusive and culturally responsive educational experience for students.

à       Develop training and professional development with faculty on inclusionary practices, implicit bias, and incorporation of historically marginalized people groups in the curriculum.

à       Implement inclusive technologies that remove barriers to access for neurodiverse students

à       Facilitated workshops, training sessions, and forums on DEI topics, engaging the college community in meaningful dialogue and promoting mutual understanding.

Facilitator of 1st Generation College Student Workshops                                   

2019-present

à       Panelist and lead facilitator of the Spanish-language parent and student workshop that prepares students and their families with the information they need to be successful in college.

Dissertation Committees

à       Chair, mentor, and advisor on dissertation committees.

"Critical Considerations: CRT Professional Development and Principal Decision Making" K.Gribmle

"Perspectives of Latinx Female Leadership Development with Succession Planning in Community Colleges" P. Ochoa

"We Got Your Six: The Impact of Mentorship in Corrections" T. Robertson

Elected, Trustee of School Board, Riverside Unified School District     

11/2022 – present

à      Cast vision, set a strategic plan for the district and create the Local Control and Accountability Plan for the district of 41,000 students in 50 schools in Riverside.

à       Set goals to increase academic achievement and increase teaching effectiveness 

à       Foster and maintain relationships with stakeholders, and local, regional, state, and national policymakers to influence education policy that impacts students.

à       Engage the community regularly through listening sessions and townhall meetings

à       Governance of $740 Million budget received from LCFF and state, local, and federal funds. 

à       Secured funding for all 6th-grade students to have access to Science Camp

à       Historical naming of Harada Elementary School, the first RUSD school named after a Japanese-American

à       Historic establishment of Casa Blanca Elementary School (opening 2025)

à       Promote a safe environment that respects the diversity of the students and the community.

à      Elected Delegate to Policy Assembly for California School Board Association.

EXPERIENCE

State Appointee: Consumer Representative for California Insurance Commission

CAARP (California Automobile Assigned Risk Plan)                                       

07/01 – 09/06

à       Make recommendations to Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi on rates and policy matters affecting consumers that secure automobile insurance through the California Low-Cost Auto Insurance Program and California Assigned Risk Plan. 

à       Confer with the Department of Insurance, insurance industry representatives, state elected officials, and consumer advocacy groups to ensure consumers have equal access to affordable auto insurance. 

Executive Director and Co-founder                                                                                               

      MMC Charities                                                     Corona, CA                           

      1995 – 2000

à       Prepare budgets and reports, monitor expenses, and present financial reports to board members.

à       Establish partnerships with community leaders, food banks, and local churches to distribute food, clothing, and furniture to families living in the Corona/Norco and Baja California area.

à       Design, develop and maintain the numerous marketing and fund-raising campaigns necessary to sustain the organization.

à       Recruit, train, coordinate, and motivate volunteers. 

Family Support Counselor                                                                          

Children's Bureau of Southern California         Orange County, CA             

1997-1998

à       Work with school-site counselors and family resource centers to perform home visits and connect students and families with various resources

à       Facilitate meetings between INS agency representatives and the Spanish-speaking community regarding immigration and residency requirements.

Assistant to the National Monitor Advocate

United States Department of Labor     Washington, DC                               

1998 -1999

à       Research violations of federal labor laws.

à       Represent the National Monitor Advocate (N.M.A.) office of the Employment Training Administration during Congressional staff meetings.   

à       Intern for Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)

Academic Advisor

      Student Support Services Program (SSSP) & Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)     08/1996-07/1998

à       Advise low-income, first-generation, and historically marginalized students on admission, course selection, and financial support services.

RESEARCH & ARTICLES

2023. “Barriers to Run: the high price of running for office” in progress

2022. "Latino Evangelicals are Nepantla: The In-betweenness of Political Identity"- Currently Submitting to Politics Groups and Identities

2021. "Fear and Suspicion: Pervasive Anti-Asian Rhetoric and Its Consequences on Society and Policy"- Presented at WPSA 2022. Submission in Progress to Politics, Groups & Identities

2021. "The Political Nepantla of Latino Evangelicals" –Presented at APSA Religion and Politics

2018. "Latino Evangelicals: Politics, Policies and the Conflict in Within." – PREIC Presentation

2016. "From California's 'Chinese Problem' to US Immigration Policy: A Critical Examination of the Motivations Behind the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882." – Presented WPSA 2016

2015. "The Dimensions of Social Capital and Latino Political Participation"-Adrian Pantoja, Pitzer College, Noemi Alexander, California Baptist University, Alma Keshavarz, Claremont Graduate University – Presented at WPSA 2015.

2015. "Reies Lopez Tijerina's Vision for Political Justice came from Pentecost." A Discourse analysis on the rhetoric and methodology of Tijerina and an examination of Assemblies of God doctrine. – Paper in-progress

2015 "Racial Categories in U.S. Census Surveys: Correlated with US Labor Needs "Paper/Presentation

SERVICE TO COMMUNITY

United Way of Inland Valleys, Board                                                          2022-present

            Board Member

Rebirth Homes                                                                                              2020-present

            Volunteer educator. Spanish language interpreter for survivor in-take

Mayor's Multicultural Forum                                                                        2022-present

            Advisory Committee on matters of race relations in the city of Riverside

Anti-Racist Riverside                                                                                     2020-present

            Member and Policy consultant

            Participant: Racial Equity Institute Training

Center Against Racism & Trauma                                                                2020-present

            Repeat Panelist: Inland Empire Anti-racist Summit  

Latino Network                                                                                             2020-present

Community Food Distributions                                                                   2020-present

            A regular participant in various food pantries around the city of Riverside

Soroptimist Corona                                                                                       2015 -present

            Volunteer Educator

The Grove Community Church                                                                    2022-present

            Summer Splash Vacation Bible School Teacher                                                       

            Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition of Riverside County                     

General Election Precinct Inspector                        Riverside, County      2010 - present

      Riverside County Elections Commission

Sunday School Coordinator New Beginnings Community Church          1999 – 2006

Voter Registration    Southwest Voter Registration Project-Long Beach           2001

      Register voters in the Long Beach Area

Public Action Representative          United Farm Workers, AFL-CIO       1996 – 1998

Intern under Dolores Huerta. Established campus awareness programs at CSULB.           

Event Steering Committee member HOPE (Hispanas Organized for Political Equality)

      Latina Action Day 1999: California State Capitol. (This organization prepares women to participate in the political process).

PUBLIC SPEAKING 

“Ignite the Spark” Keynote Speaker at Ignite Her Mind, Girls in STEM Conference           2023

"Hope" Keynote Speaker for Inland Valley, United Way 5/2022

"Advocate like a Mother" Advocacy workshop at Inland Empire Autism Society (Bilingual)

"Inland Empire Antiracist Summit" 2021- Panelist

"Your Work is Your Social Capital" Workshop for College Bound, Migrant Farmworker Students

"Help Me Understand," A conversation about Black Lives Matter

"Because Kindness" Power of Kindness to change lives Cultivate Conference

"An Empowered Woman Empowers Women" Cultivate Conference

“Nos Necesitamos Unos a Los Otros” Teaching on Community – Nuevo Comienzo

"Not In My Back Yard: Survival and Healing" Educational seminars on Human Trafficking

"College and Career: The Choice is Yours" Workshop with college-bound girls - Soroptimist, Corona Chapter (2015, 2017, 2019)

Professional Associations & Professional Development

            Masters in Governance Certificate from CSBA

            California School Board Association (CSBA)

            National Society of Leadership and Success (inducted 2017)          

            American Political Science Association (APSA.)

            Western Political Science Association (WPSA.)

            American Society for Public Administration- Inland Empire Chapter

            Latino Network, Riverside California