“I am beyond grateful to my colleagues for their confidence and faith in entrusting me with this important role at a time when supporting our students, regardless of background, continues to come under attack from those in power who are determined to strip civil protections from the most vulnerable,” said Arroyo. “As the largest institution of higher education and workforce development in the region, the San Diego Community College District remains committed to protecting students and employees from discrimination and advancing equity in education.”
In addition to her work in public health, Arroyo, who grew up in Tijuana and San Diego, is a lecturer at San Diego State University’s School of Public Health. She attended both San Diego City and Mesa colleges, earned a bachelor’s degree in human development at UC San Diego, and secured a master’s degree in public health from Columbia University in New York. She was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board in 2021 and was elected to her first full term in 2022. She represents District E on the SDCCD board, which includes neighborhoods such as City Heights, Golden Hill, Barrio Logan, Logan Heights, Downtown, Normal Heights, Mountain View, Kensington, and Paradise Hills. In addition to her volunteer work at San Diego schools, she is the Vice-Chair of the San Diego County Health Services Advisory Board and the Vice-President of the Employee Rights Center-Labor's Training and Community Development Alliance.
In addition to Arroyo’s election, Craig Milgrim was elected as executive vice president of the board and Chancellor Gregory Smith was appointed secretary. Board members Marichu Magaña, and Mariah Jameson, and Maria Nieto Senour were named vice presidents for specific functions.
Among governing board priorities in the coming year are overseeing voter-approved Measure HH, which authorized $3.5 billion in bonds to replace aging facilities; strengthen the district’s fiscal health during a time of growing uncertainty about federal and state support; and build upon a historic partnership with SDSU to create a joint-use facility at its Mission Valley campus and guarantee transfer pathways for SDCCD students.
With Arroyo presiding over the past year, the governing board reiterated its support for the district’s most vulnerable students, oversaw a continuing surge in enrollment at San Diego City, Mesa, Miramar, and Continuing Education colleges, tracked the launch of Measure HH construction projects, and initiated the first-ever districtwide fundraising campaign.