{"id":2461,"date":"2026-10-05T12:00:23","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T19:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/?page_id=2461"},"modified":"2026-10-05T12:37:06","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T19:37:06","slug":"about-us-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/about-us-2\/","title":{"rendered":"About Us"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover\" style=\"min-height:526px;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" class=\"wp-block-cover__image-background wp-image-2757 size-large\" alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02030-1024x684.jpg\" style=\"object-position:49% 87%\" data-object-fit=\"cover\" data-object-position=\"49% 87%\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02030-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02030-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02030-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02030-1536x1026.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02030.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim\" style=\"background-color:#7b6071\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-cover-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:75px\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:75px\"><strong>La Mesa Directiva<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"grid-template-columns:35% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/ALASS-Logo-ol.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"728\" height=\"230\" src=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/ALASS-Logo-ol.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2758 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/ALASS-Logo-ol.png 728w, https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/ALASS-Logo-ol-300x95.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Chair &#8211; Vacant<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:18px\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:15px\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"grid-template-columns:36% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02020-test.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"583\" height=\"935\" src=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02020-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2771 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02020-test.jpg 583w, https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02020-test-187x300.jpg 187w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 583px) 100vw, 583px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Cynthia Cordova, M.Ed. &#8211; Vice Chair<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:18px\"><strong>Academic Department Assistant, Economics, History, and Political Science<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:15px\">Cynthia Cordova has been part of the Palomar College family since August 2015, beginning her journey as the STEM Outreach Coordinator. Since then, she has served in several roles, including Student Specialist I with the DRC, DRC Testing Center Coordinator, and currently, Academic Department Assistant for the Economic, History, and Political Science department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cynthia\u2019s connection to Palomar began as a student, when she started her college journey immediately after high school. She later attended MiraCosta College before transferring to Cal State San Marcos, where she earned her Bachelor\u2019s degree in Human Development with an emphasis in Children\u2019s Services and a minor in Ethnic Studies. In 2022, she earned her Master\u2019s in Higher Education Administration and Policy from the University of California, Riverside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:15px\">Outside of work, Cynthia enjoys attending concerts, spending time with her two awesome boys, diving down UFO\/UAP rabbit holes, and reading while continually adding to her ever-growing stack of books. Her journey has come full circle, allowing her to give back to the college community that played such an important role in her own educational experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:15px\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"grid-template-columns:36% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02028-test.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"697\" height=\"997\" src=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02028-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2770 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02028-test.jpg 697w, https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02028-test-210x300.jpg 210w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 697px) 100vw, 697px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Leti Murillo &#8211; Membership Co-Chair<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:18px\"><strong>Tutoring Coordinator, Tutoring Services<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:15px\">Proudly representing my north San Diego County inland community, I&#8217;ve worked for and been of service to Palomar College for a quarter century! Can you believe I&#8217;m from the 1900s?!&nbsp;I&#8217;ve truly enjoyed being an advocate for student support services, tutoring in particular, following my undergraduate studies at UCSD (let&#8217;s go, Tritons!). In summary, I&#8217;m living the mantra, &#8220;be the change you&#8217;d like to see in the world&#8221;, making it my personal mission to be a conduit for sharing valuable resources with students and my fellow colleagues, building community as I go. I&#8217;ve been fortunate to be able to pay forward the grace, the support and resources I&#8217;ve received in my lifetime alongside this amazing ALASS group who give so much of their time and energy with our college community. When I&#8217;m not at the office, you&#8217;ll find me on a plane or in an airport, at the cinema, a museum, a concert or at a Disney park. Let&#8217;s gooooo!<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-vertically-aligned-center\" style=\"grid-template-columns:35% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02027-test.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"479\" height=\"843\" src=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02027-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2769 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02027-test.jpg 479w, https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02027-test-170x300.jpg 170w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 479px) 100vw, 479px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Ariana Ortiz Suarez &#8211; Membership Co-Chair<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:18px\"><strong>Student Success Initiatives Coordinator, Counseling Services<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Ariana Ortiz Suarez<\/strong> (she\/her\/ella) serves as the Student Success Initiatives Coordinator at Palomar College, where she works to cultivate student success, belonging, and engagement. Through culturally responsive programming, community-building opportunities, and personalized guidance, she helps students connect with resources, build meaningful relationships, and achieve their academic goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a first-generation college graduate, Ariana is passionate about advancing student equity and uplifting historically marginalized and underrepresented communities. She is dedicated to creating spaces where students and staff feel seen, heard, and empowered. As the Membership Co-Chair of ALASS, Ariana looks forward to taking a more active role in supporting its mission while continuing to serve and strengthen the Palomar College community.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:35% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02022-1-test.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"659\" height=\"999\" src=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02022-1-test.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2767 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02022-1-test.jpg 659w, https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/DSC02022-1-test-198x300.jpg 198w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 659px) 100vw, 659px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>David Gonzalez &#8211; Communications Chair<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:18px\"><strong>Recruitment Specialist, Office of Student Recruitment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:15px\">David currently serves as a Recruitment Specialist for the Office of Student Recruitment at Palomar College. In this role, he has the privilege of connecting with prospective students and supporting them in their educational journey. Work that is deeply meaningful to him, especially as a first-generation college graduate. Throughout his time at Palomar, he has had the opportunity to work alongside several grant-funded student programs, each dedicated to expanding access and support for students from underserved and underrepresented populations. These experiences have shaped and strengthened his passion for educational equity and student advocacy. He earned his bachelor&#8217;s degree from CSUSM, and he is currently pursuing his master\u2019s degree at National University. As the Communications Chair for ALASS, he looks forward to amplifying the voices and stories that drive the collective mission.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:35% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/ALASS-Logo-ol-1.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"728\" height=\"230\" src=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/ALASS-Logo-ol-1.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2763 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/ALASS-Logo-ol-1.png 728w, https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2026\/10\/ALASS-Logo-ol-1-300x95.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 728px) 100vw, 728px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Financial Planning Chair &#8211; Vacant<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:18px\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:15px\"><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>La Mesa Directiva Chair &#8211; Vacant Cynthia Cordova, M.Ed. &#8211; Vice Chair Academic Department Assistant, Economics, History, and Political Science Cynthia Cordova has been part of the Palomar College family&hellip; <a class=\"continue\" href=\"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/about-us-2\/\">\u00a0Continue Reading:<span> About Us<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11413,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2461","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P6Sp7b-DH","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2461","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11413"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2461"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2461\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2784,"href":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2461\/revisions\/2784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.palomar.edu\/alass\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2461"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}