Art Hernandez
Editor’s note: Amigos805 will be presenting a regular profile of the winners of El Concilio Family Services’ 2011 Latino Leadership Awards, to be presented March 26 in Oxnard. The awards this year focus on educators who make a difference in the community.
Through his position as a Ventura County Community College District trustee, Art Hernandez has pressed the district to increase programs and quality staff for Oxnard College, a campus serving the highest percentage of Latinos in the county.
He has also helped to foster collaboration between Oxnard College and California State University, Channel Islands and advocated that the new university perform outreach to the Latino population in Ventura County and introduce programs to benefit the local population.
Hernandez was born and raised in Oxnard, attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, graduating with a degree in economics. He and his wife, Julie, live in Oxnard and have three adult children.
Besides Hernandez, the award winners being honored this year include Elmelda P. Almanza, retired from the Oxnard School District; Javier Gomez, founder of the Inlakech Cultural Arts Center in Oxnard; Carmen Guerrero, dean of Career & Technical Education at Oxnard College; Fundi Legohn of Oxnard High School; Joseph M. Medina of California State University, Northridge; Lupe Murillo of Pacifica High School in Oxnard; Pilar Pacheco of California State University, Channel Islands; and Alex Rivera of Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.
Reservations for El Concilio Family Services’ annual Latino Leadership Awards gala dinner are due by March 14. Tickets are $125 per person, $1,500 to sponsor a table.
For more information about the awards or sponsorship opportunities call Yvonne R. Gutierrez at 805.486.9777, ext. 228, send an e-mail to events@elconcilioventura.org or visit www.elconcilioventura.org