Governing Board Members

Board Member Profiles

Southwestern Community College District Governing Board Members

Don Dumas photo

Don Dumas

Board President

ddumas@swccd.edu

  • Area 5
  • Term
    December 2022 - November 2026

Don Dumas has a successful track record of teaching and education reform, who received the San Diego County Teacher of the Year in 2020. He has been a dedicated 12-year high school classroom teacher for the Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD) and for over 10-years the Boys Varsity Basketball Head
Coach.

His entire educational career has been devoted to the elimination of social and economic injustice, including the dismantling of white supremacist structures. Being a Black American, South Bay native, and child of working-class parents, he brings a unique and much needed perspective to eliminate anti-Blackness. He created and serves as the advisor for the Black Student Union at Bonita Vista High School as well as serve on a committee at the district level that is in the process of establishing the Black Student Union at all middle and high schools under SUHSD. Don strengthens his belief in community service and teaches his students in the importance of volunteering in such events. Don was a graduate of the Sweetwater Union High School District, a Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College student, and continued to earn his bachelor’s degree in History and Master of Arts in Teaching from San Diego State University.

 

Kris Galicia Brown photo

  Kristine Galicia Brown

  Board Vice President

 

kbrown2@swccd.edu

  • At Large
  • Term
    Through November 2024

Kris has a multitude of experience in the public affairs, branding, advertising, and food industries. Her strengths lie within strategic outreach, branding & positioning and problem-solving, especially when it comes to areas of influence. She is also highly skilled in analytics and crisis-communication. She is an accomplished copywriter, art director, a social media influencer, content creator, and published author. She has worked professionally with large brands, local governments, non-profits, restaurants, sporting-events, start-ups, and local small businesses.

Kris has been involved in educational issues, serving on both Sweetwater Union High School District’s (SUHSD) District Parent Advisory Council (DPAC) and Hilltop High School’s School Site Council (SSC). She also serves on the Board of Advisors for Border View Family YMCA and liaison to YMCA of San Diego Corporate Board, helping with community access to programs to help improve individual, senior, youth, and family well-being.

By way of her US Navy family, Kris arrived in San Diego at nine years-old and has never once considered leaving. Kris holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Advertising. She loves to read, cook, hike, and explore “hidden” San Diego. 

 

Governing Board Member Roberto Alcantar

  Roberto Alcantar

  Board Member

 

ralcantar@swccd.edu

  • At-Large
  • Term
    December 2020 - November 2024

Roberto Alcantar was raised in the border community of San Ysidro. Roberto graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Political Science and Public Policy. Roberto spent time abroad at the University of Western Australia doing research on social justice issues pertaining to Aboriginal communities. Shortly after, Roberto was recruited into the U.S. Department of State and served overseas at the US Consulate in Perth, Australia. Roberto has worked in the non-profit sector on issues like human trafficking, gang violence and hunger in underserved communities. He has served on the City of San Diego’s International Affairs Board and the Otay Valley Regional Park Advisory Committee. Previously, Roberto served as the Chief Strategy Officer for the Chicano Federation, a 50-year-old organization dedicated to serving the most vulnerable in our society. Roberto has worked for the American Civil Liberties Union, the City of San Diego City Council and the California Senate where he was the point person in the district on labor issues, immigration issues, binational affairs, public safety, transportation, and education. Roberto is a San Diego Leadership Alliance Fellow and was named one of San Diego’s 40 Leaders under 40 in 2015 and 2019 by the San Diego Business Journal. In 2019 he received the 80th Assembly District Outstanding Latino Community Leader Award from Assemblywoman Gonzalez. He was also named one of San Diego’s most notable leaders by San Diego Magazine and was awarded the WESTOP Achievement Award for his work on education in his community. Roberto currently serves on the board of the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce and the South County EDC. He is an elected Community College Trustee and serves as the Board Vice President of the Southwestern Community College District Governing Board. Roberto currently works for San Diego Gas & Electric as the Public Affairs Manager for South County.

 

Robert Moreno photo

  Robert Moreno

  Governing Board Member

 

rmoreno@swccd.edu

  • Area 1
  • Term
    December 2022- November 2026

Robert Moreno was born and raised in the South Bay, and he holds a deep-rooted commitment to caring for the local community. Robert grew up in National City and graduated from Sweetwater High, Southwestern College, and SDSU. Now a resident of Chula Vista with his beloved family, Robert is living out his passion for public service. His long list of public leadership roles in the South Bay includes serving as a Redistricting Commissioner for the 2020/2021 redistricting of the City of Chula Vista, as well as his current roles as a volunteer Board Member for the YMCA and the Board Chair for Community Through Hope, a Chula Vista homeless outreach non-profit.

His dedication to serving south San Diego stems back to the beginning of his career. After graduating from State, Robert put his journalism degree to work as a “watchdog reporter” for the Star-News. He lived and breathed the South Bay community, covering local school board meetings, City Council meetings, political stories, and other important issues facing residents of Chula Vista and National City. Robert has also worked in city government having worked briefly for a city councilmember. graduated from the Chula Vista Chamber of Commerce “Commerce Leadership Academy.”

Today, Robert proudly works at a nonprofit that helps businesses and consumers thrive in the marketplace. In addition to his routine responsibilities at his job, Robert serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which is tasked with creating diversity and inclusion measures across the organization, in part by analyzing how inequalities have impacted any employees at his job. 

Elected to the Southwestern College Board in 2022, Robert is devoted to supporting college students in the South Bay community. His priorities for the college are providing affordable student housing, fighting for fiscal responsibility, retaining the best and brightest educators, and improving transfer opportunities, all with the goal of creating a better future of higher education for South Bay families.

 

Corina Soto photo

Corina Soto

Governing Board Member

csoto@swccd.edu

  • Area 4
  • Term
    December 2022- November 2026

Corina Soto served a Counselor and Professor at Southwestern College (SWC) for 32 years.  She also served in faculty union leadership during her long-term tenure as a college employee. She has an Associates, a Bachelors, and a Masters degree. In December 2021, she received a Professional Certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Cornell University. Corina graduated from a California Community College. She was able to transfer to a UC to pursue higher education. She received her master’s degree from a CSU. 

Corina knows about the barriers that SWC students may face while attending college including economic and social hardships such as needing money to pay for the costs of tuition, supplies and housing and such as needing information, support, and mentorship when you are the first in your family to even go to college. She is a strong supporter of free speech, academic freedom, and the use of dialogue towards conflict resolution. Corina is committed to transparency and accountability in the college’s decision-making processes.

Soto became eligible to retire in August 2022 and is pleased to continue her work at the place she has loved for the past 32 and a half years. Soto's educational background includes an Associate of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies from Riverside Community College; a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Administrative Studies/Chicano Studies from UC Riverside; a Master of Arts Degree in Education with an emphasis in Muli-Cultural Counseling from San Diego State University; and a professional certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from Cornell University.

 

Jose Perez photo

Jose M. Perez

Student Trustee

SWCStudentTrustee@swccd.edu

Term
June 2023 - May 2024

Born and raised in Chula Vista and National City, Jose Mauricio Perez, raised by a single mother, along with his distant father and younger brother. He has undergone and risen through several challenges in his life. He is proud to be returning and furthering his education as a first-generation college student, after family priorities. He has an inner-determination of being a natural-born leader and strives for leadership positions that would allow him to leave a larger impact for the greater good of his communities. His most recent leadership position includes being a student trustee from June 2022 - May 2023, and his experience as Vice-President of Social Affairs in the Associated Student Organization (ASO) for the 2021-2022 academic year. Serving as the Governing Board Student Trustee, he plans to devote his time and effort to uphold the roles and responsibilities of a Trustee and of a student representative. He also plans to bring more awareness of the Board’s implementations to the students of Southwestern College and meet the needs on behalf of the students. 

He is double majoring in Political Science and Business Management, with minors in Business Administration and Economics. He strives for a career in the world of politics, and in the world of investments and Philanthropy. 

 

Photo of Superintendent/President Dr. Mark Sanchez

Dr. Mark Sanchez

Superintendent/President

msanchez@swccd.edu

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