Cerritos College Board of Trustees Welcomes Mariana Pacheco as Newest Member; New Board Officers Selected for 2021

The Cerritos College Board of Trustees welcomed newly elected Trustee Mariana Pacheco (Area #1), at its December 16 board meeting. Trustees Carmen Avalos (Area #2), Marisa Perez (Area #4), and Dr. Sandra Salazar (Area #6) were uncontested, and returned to the Board to serve another four-year term. 

Trustee Pacheco was sworn in by Assembly Member Cristina Garcia (#58 District). Trustee Pacheco has served as the Director of Nursing for the VN, EMT, and Phlebotomy Program at Downey Adult School for the last six years. Prior to that, she worked as the Clinical Nursing Director of Outpatient Services and Employee Health at LAC/USC Medical Center for 34 years.  

Trustee Carmen Avalos serves as South Gate's City Clerk and teaches biology. She was sworn in by Council Member Maria del Pilar Avalos, City of South Gate. Trustee Marisa Perez has worked with South Coast Air Quality Management District since 2010, and was sworn in by Vice Mayor Jeff Wood, City of Lakewood. Trustee Dr. Sandra Salazar is a family medicine physician in Los Angeles. She was sworn in by Judge Lucy Armendáriz, Superior Court of Los Angeles County.

“As a new trustee, I look forward to working with my Board colleagues on ways to help more students gain access to a quality education. As the pandemic lingers, it is very important that we continue to offer students more resources, so they can stay in school. I’m happy to join a Board whose goals are centered on meeting the needs of students, and supporting faculty, staff, and the community. I’m ready to get started,” said Trustee Mariana Pacheco.

The Board also elected new officers for 2021, electing Trustee James Cody Birkey (Area #3) as the new board president, Trustee Dr. Shin Liu (Area #5) as vice president, and Trustee Carmen Avalos (Area #2) as clerk.