Trustee Jose Solorio was elected to the Board of Trustees in November 2012. 

The son of migrant farm workers, Trustee Solorio went from laboring as a teenager in the fields, alongside his parents, to earning a bachelor's degree from UC Irvine and a master's degree in public policy from Harvard University. After representing Anaheim, Garden Grove and Santa Ana in the State Assembly six years, he now serves central Orange County on the Board of Trustees for the Rancho Santiago Community College District.

In his role as our State Assemblyman, and now as Community College Trustee, he has focused his efforts on education, job creation, public safety and infrastructure improvements.

In the State Assembly, Trustee Solorio successfully worked with Governor Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders to author and co-author laws to reform state prisons, create the state's first gang czar, and secure grants to help prevent gang involvement and youth violence in Anaheim, Garden Grove and Santa Ana.

In the area of education, he authored laws to improve the way we measure academic achievement, help students learn English faster, train teachers to use data to improve classroom instruction, and reduce the high price of college student textbooks.

Education has always been a priority of Trustee Solorio. He says a quality college education is what has given him and countless others the opportunity to reach their dreams.

To protect those opportunities for others in central Orange County, as Trustee he works on keeping our community colleges affordable and accessible, strengthening relationships with local employers to maximize job placements for students, partnering with faculty to ensure they have the support and academic tools necessary to provide quality and cutting-edge instruction to students, and modernizing facilities and classrooms so our students have the best technology and skills to compete in today's economy and improve their chances to transfer to four year universities.

In addition to his work in local and state government, Trustee Solorio has 15 years of public affairs, marketing, public relations, research and communications experience. He uses those skills in his Public Affairs and Marketing consulting business to help organizations and businesses - large and small - tackle tough issues and communicate their messages effectively.

Often asked why he dedicates so much time and effort in the community, Solorio recites one of Cesar Chavez's famous quotes: "The end of all education should surely be service to others."

President Solorio can be reached by email.

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