“HACU’s governing board members are essential to the success of our mission, and we owe a great deal to their dedication and commitment to ensuring the association’s work is accomplished,” said Interim President and CEO David A. Ortiz. “We extend our deepest gratitude to those members ending their roles on the board, and welcome new members who will be key to providing the guidance and direction necessary to serve our member institutions and their students.”
“It is a tremendous honor and privilege to serve such an accomplished organization which has successfully advocated for opportunity and success for all students for generations,” said Smith. “In this role I will bring the voice of the more than 40,000 Latine students attending our colleges to ensure we deliver on the promise of equity and inclusion in higher education.”
Smith began his role as SDCCD chancellor in February 2024. He is responsible for one of the largest community college districts in California, with the SDCCD annually serving approximately 90,000 students through its four colleges. Each of the SDCCD’s three credit colleges are federally designated as Hispanic Serving Institutions. Smith has more than 20 years of service in the public sector, including for the U.S. Department of Labor, where he enforced equal employment opportunity and affirmative action regulations. A first-generation college graduate, Smith started his collegiate education at Cerro Coso Community College in California and holds bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and English Literature from Arizona State University and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.
Other newly appointed governing board members include: Lamont Repollet, Ed.D., president of Kean University; Valerio Ferme, Ph.D., president of New Mexico State University; Britt Rios-Ellis, Ph.D., president of California State University, Stanislaus; and Diana Rodriguez, Ed.D., chancellor of San Bernardino Community College District.
HACU governing board members serve two-year terms and may be re-elected for a second term.