California School Boards Association Elects Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez as New Vice President
Sixteen-year school board veteran will serve as next Vice President of the statewide education association
SACRAMENTO, Calif., (Dec. 6, 2017) – Azusa Unified School District Board of Education Vice President Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez has been elected as the next Vice President of the California School Boards Association. Chosen by a group of CSBA delegates from throughout the state, Cruz-Gonzalez joins the executive committee of the association representing nearly 1,000 California school districts and county offices of education.
Now in her 16th year as a school board member, Cruz-Gonzalez has been an active member of CSBA. Most recently serving on the CSBA Board of Directors representing the greater San Gabriel Valley, she also was a member of the 2012 Annual Education Conference and Trade Show Planning Committee, and has served on the Legislative Committee and the Council of Presidents. She completed CSBA’s Masters in Governance training in May 2015.
“School board members play a critical role in ensuring that our state’s public education system prepares all children – regardless of background – for success in college, career and civic life,” said Cruz-Gonzalez. “As CSBA Vice President, I look forward to helping lead this organization in the fight for educational equity and improved outcomes for all of California’s 6.2 million public school students.”
In addition to her advocacy work thorough CSBA, Cruz-Gonzalez works for Californians Together, directing a project that supports immigrant and refugee students.
Previously, she has held positions as President of Californians Together and President of the California Latino School Boards Association. She has additionally served on a variety of national and state nonprofit boards, including the National Association of Latino Elected Officials, Education Trust-West Allies for Equity, and Opportunity Action.
Joining Cruz-Gonzalez on CSBA’s 2018 Executive Committee are Mike Walsh of the Butte County Office of Education, who will serve as President, and La Mesa Spring Valley School District Trustee and National School Boards Association Director Emma Turner, who was voted President-elect. Susan Henry of the Huntington Beach Union High School District will serve as Immediate Past President.