Elisa Pardo is sworn in as the newest member of the Allan Hancock College Board of Trustees during the board’s Oct. 13 meeting at Santa Ynez Valley High School. Pardo was selected to represent Trustee Area 1, filling the vacancy left by
longtime trustee Hilda Zacarías. Photo courtesy of Allan Hancock College.
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SANTA MARIA — The Allan Hancock College Board of Trustees has selected Hancock alum and longtime community leader Elisa Pardo to represent Trustee Area 1, filling the vacancy left by outgoing trustee Hilda Zacarías.
The board selected Pardo during a special meeting Oct. 9, and she was officially sworn in at its Oct. 13 regular meeting at Santa Ynez Valley High School.
“Serving on the Board of Trustees is an opportunity to give back to an institution that has been part of my family’s educational journey,” Pardo said. “I look forward to listening to students, families and residents, bringing their perspectives to the board, and serving our community with integrity.”
Pardo brings more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, community services and public partnerships throughout Santa Barbara County. She currently serves as director of the California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (Cal-AIM) Department at CommUnify, where she oversees programs connecting residents with health care and community support services.
A former Hancock student, Pardo has a personal connection to the college and its mission. She attended Hancock while navigating the financial challenges of higher education, initially paying for classes herself before receiving financial aid. Her daughter later attended Hancock and went on to become a teacher.
Those experiences helped shape Pardo’s appreciation for the role community colleges play in expanding access to education, career opportunities and economic mobility.
Throughout her career at CommUnify, Pardo has held several leadership positions overseeing programs serving more than 10,000 Santa Barbara County residents annually. Her experience includes strategic planning, fiscal oversight, grant management, policy development and building partnerships with public agencies and community organizations.
“Elisa’s extensive experience serving our community, combined with her personal connection to Hancock, brings a valuable perspective to the board,” said Hancock Superintendent/President Kevin G. Walthers, Ph.D. “We also want to thank Hilda Zacarías for her years of dedicated service and commitment to our students and community.”
Pardo also serves as chair of Santa Barbara County’s Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD), a coalition that coordinates emergency preparedness and disaster response efforts in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Office of Emergency Management. She is also a board member of Community Partners in Caring, a nonprofit organization supporting seniors and adults with disabilities.
As the Area 1 trustee, Pardo will represent northern Santa Maria while joining the board in its responsibility for overseeing college policies, institutional direction, fiscal stewardship and educational quality throughout the Allan Hancock Joint Community College District.