Board of Trustees

Mary Figueroa

Mary Figueroa was first elected to the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees on November 7, 1995, having emerged from a crowded field of 11 candidates and one open seat. Trustee Figueroa was last re-elected by voters in November 2008 and is past president of the Board of Trustees. Presently Ms. Figueroa is chair of the Board’s Governance Committee, and, in a statewide capacity, serves on the 21-member California Community College Trustees Board.

Ms. Figueroa's community involvement began at the age of 16, when she volunteered for a local election campaign in order to earn high school credit in a government class. From there, she became involved in the neighborhood youth organizations formed in the 1970's to deal with local community gang activity and police conflict. Her community organization involvement has included past and recent membership in:

Eastside Social Services Center Advisory Board
Action Before Crisis Committee
Riverside Youth Development Council
Inland Community Design Center
Riverside Area Rape Crisis Center Board of Directors
City of Riverside Human Relations Commission
San Gorgonio Girl Scout Council Board of Directors
Departmental Women’s Liaison Council/Department of Corrections
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission/Department of Corrections
Blueprint for Volunteer Diversity Planning Committee
American Diabetes Association Board of Directors
LATINO Network
Greater Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
Riverside Mayor's Use of Force Panel
State of California Attorney General's Civil Rights Commission on Hate Crimes
American Association of University Women
NAACP
Riverside Chapter Board of Directors of the National Latino Peace Officers Association
Eastside Think Tank
Community Settlement Association Board of Directors
Inland Empire Hispanic Leadership Council
California Community College Trustees Board of Directors

Ms. Figueroa recently retired from the State of California Department of Corrections after 21 years at the California Institution for Men in Chino as a correctional counselor. Previously, she was employed by the Riverside County District Attorney's Office as a victim witness advocate assigned to the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Unit; with RUSD as a substitute teacher; city of Riverside as a placement counselor in the Summer Youth Employment Program; and with the Riverside County American Red Cross.

Ms. Figueroa has in past years been honored with acknowledgement from the Greater Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce with the 1996 "Josie Lozano Award"; with the 1999 "Woman of Achievement Award" by the Black Voice Foundation, Inc.; a YWCA "Woman of Achievement Award" for 2004; and The Hispanic Image Awards, "Inland Empire Influential Latina of the Year Award" for 2005..

Ms. Figueroa realizes that having received her high school diploma from John W. North High School and graduation from the University of California, Riverside with a B.A. in Chicano Studies and Political Science, these have provided her with the self esteem and confidence needed to return her services to the community. Having grown up in the Eastside of Riverside to a single mother, but with the family support and additional mentoring from individuals who have crossed her life, Ms. Figueroa advocates that given the opportunity, every child regardless of background can be a success. Ms. Figueroa believes that she is a living example of that concept.