During a recent 5-month
acting role as Vice Chancellor (July 2022 through December 2022) in the Educational Services
Division, Dr. Davis provided administrative oversight for the District’s
Information Technology Services,
District Research and Planning and Institutional Effectiveness, Resource Development,
Communications and Graphic Design, the Orange County Regional Consortium
(OCRC), as well as Child Development Services. Back in her permanent and
current role as Assistant Vice Chancellor of Economic and Workforce
Development, Dr. Davis provides leadership and administrative oversight for the
OCRC across four community college districts and 10 community college
institutions. In this role she is responsible for working collaboratively with
the regions leadership to advise of Strong Workforce Program investments as
well as collaborating with the region on the implementation and outcomes for
the Regional Collaboration and Coordination Grant that supports the regional
consortium and its career pathway develop strategies as well as employer engagement
for all industry sectors.
Dr. Davis was the first and only executive director to oversee the Los Angeles and Orange County Regional Consortium (LAOCRC), which was comprised of 29 community college institutions across 15 community college districts from May 2018 through December 2021. Prior to overseeing the regional consortium, Dr. Davis served as an instructional dean at Los Angeles City College for ten years and provided leadership and administrative oversight for the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Adult Education, Career Technical Education, academic instructional programs, some categorical programs, and grant development resources. Before transitioning to Los Angeles City College, Dr. Davis served as the Director of the Small Business Development Center at El Camino College and prior to that she worked in the Small Business Development Center regional office at Long Beach City College, which covered Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Los Angeles counties. Before entering the public education space, Dr. Davis worked for Johnson Publishing Company, Inc., maker of Jet and Ebony Magazine and Fashion Fair Cosmetics, covering the states of Arizona, California, and Nevada.
Dr. Davis was recently appointed as a Board Member to the California Foundation on Aging, and serves as a national Board member to New Ways to Work, and a Board member to UNITE-LA as well as the City of Los Angeles’ Workforce Development Board. She has been mentoring professionals and students alike in the career journeys and done countless conference presentations on economic and workforce development and career education. Dr. Davis is one of the premier academic and workforce development experts and believes in raising the bar on excellence. One of her tenets of leadership is “In the process of building a great team of leaders, be sure to foster a permissive atmosphere and work environment so people aren’t afraid to fail on the road to success!”
In her spare time, Dr. Davis loves to spend time with her adult children and two young grandsons, as well as writing and publishing drama and mystery books as well as writing and publishing in the academia genre. Dr. Davis earned her doctorate in higher education leadership from California State University, Long Beach.
714-564-5575
Davis_Adriene@rsccd.edu
Mr. Michael Sacoto serves as the K-14 Technical Assistant Provider (TAP) for the Orange County K-12 Strong Workforce Program (SWP). As the K-14 TAP, Mr. Sacoto provides leadership and guidance to all Orange County Local Education Agencies applying and facilitating K-12 SWP projects and the regions four K-12 Pathway Coordinators. Mr. Sacoto ensures the success of K-12 SWP projects by facilitating professional development activities, coordinating communication and collaboration between LEAs and community college leadership to align K-14 career pathways, and spearheading a K-12 regional needs assessment identifying seven areas of need in which he and the K-12 Pathway Coordinators will focus on addressing during the 2021 – 2022 academic year.
Mr. Sacoto has vast experience in providing regional leadership that has resulted in identifying and addressing the educational and workforce needs of the Inland Empire and most recently the Orange County region. His ability to conduct research, evaluate programs and develop partnerships, with K-14 and other industry professionals, has played a vital role in the successful implementation of various career program initiatives. He has previously managed several CTE and workforce grants that support the enhancement and improvement of career pathways throughout San Bernardino County, Orange County, and the Pomona Valley area.
Mr. Sacoto has a passion for creating equitable programs that empower students to explore career paths and gain work readiness skills. From providing work-based learning opportunities for students, externships for instructors, to developing county-wide employer partnerships to address regional challenges, Mr. Sacoto does it to ensure all students are provided with the resources and programs they need to achieve their own version of success.
He has been recognized by the San Bernardino County Medical Society and received the Outstanding Citizen Award and a Special Congressional Recognition from the United States Congress for developing a regional allied health and medical internship program, which provided high school and community college students the opportunity to gain real-world experience in the healthcare industry.
After transferring from Santa Monica College, Michael went on to earn a Bachelor’s in Kinesiology and Master’s in Organizational Leadership and Management from the University of La Verne. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Urban Educational Leadership at Claremont Graduate University.
3107549844
sacoto_michael@rsccd.edu
Early Life and Education
As the eldest child of Mexican immigrants, Jorge was deeply inspired by his parents' strong work ethic and dedication to their family. His parents instilled in him the value of education and the importance of giving back to the community. Jorge was an outstanding student, earning a Cal Grant to attend California Polytechnic Pomona, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. Driven by his passion for education and desire to make a difference, Jorge pursued a master’s degree in Instructional Design and Technology. Determined to further contribute to the field of education, Jorge enrolled in a Doctorate program in Educational Leadership at the University of Southern California (USC) and is graduating in May 2023.
Career in Education and Leadership
Jorge began his career in education when he joined the Orange County Department of Education as an aide. Gaining recognition for his dedication to improving educational opportunities for students, inclusivity, and his innovative approach to program development, Jorge took on the role of coordinator at a local community college. Most recently, Jorge worked as CTE adjunct faculty and coordinator at Santiago Canyon College (SCC) and San Bernardino Valley College (SBVC). In these position, he worked tirelessly to develop and implement CTE and adult education programs that provided students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their chosen career paths. He emphasized creating partnerships with local businesses and industry leaders to provide students with real world experience and knowledge to promote students’ success.
Jorge's unwavering dedication to education and his leadership skills led to his appointment as the Director of the Orange County Regional Consortium, Talent Development and Retention. In this role, he oversees the development and implementation of regional strategies to strengthen and expand pathways for students in Orange County. Jorge's vision for the future of Strong Workforce emphasizes the importance of collaboration between educators, industry professionals, and community members to create meaningful opportunities for students and to meet the evolving needs of the workforce.
Philanthropy, Community Involvement, and Familia
Throughout his career, Jorge has demonstrated a deep commitment to giving back to the community. He has served on the boards of non-profit organizations focused on providing educational opportunities for minoritized students, including Orange County CUE and the providing assistance to ACCE. Additionally, Jorge has presented at various state and national conferences such as the CAEP Summit and COABE. In his free time, Jorge enjoys going on adventures with his wife and son, riding his mountain and road bike, traveling with friends/family, and constantly learning by reading and visiting museums and science centers.
714-392-7279
saucedo-daniel_jorge@rsccd.edu
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Marbella Ruiz currently serves as the Orange County Regional Consortium's (OCRC) Administrative Secretary. Working in the public and private sectors for the past 16 years, Marbella brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to serving and supporting stakeholders in the Orange County region. In consultation and collaboration with the OCRC executive director and directors, she is exceptionally-focused on organizing, scheduling and coordinating calendars and events, and assisting with budget management and tracking while improving efficiencies in operations and office support.
Prior to joining the OCRC, Marbella served as a business services coordinator for the Digital Media Center (DMC), assisting entrepreneurs in the Orange County region to develop and grow their businesses. She also communicated, effectively, with DMC incubator residents and affiliate members, vendors, counselors, faculty and students.
Marbella's goal is to continue to set professional development and growth goals as she seeks to apply her expertise in each role and area of responsibility. Marbella earned her Early Childhood Development Certificate from Santa Ana College and transferred to California Coast University to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management. She enjoys traveling and spending time with family and friends.
714-564-5576
ruiz_marbella@rsccd.edu
Lorena Gonzalez has effectively represented the Orange County Regional Consortium throughout the last year, with exceptional attention to detail. Working closely with six directors and regional partners has proven invaluable in terms of organizing, scheduling, coordinating, budgeting, and managing schedules and resources, as well as developing innovative techniques to increase office support. Lorena's contributions to the OCRC, as well as her continuous commitment to her work, have made her a pillar of the organization.
Lorena has over 20 years of expertise in the administrative field. She attended Santa Ana College. She was offered a position as an administrative clerk at OCRC due to her expertise in office administration and accounting. Lorena worked several years to arrange documents, generate financial reports, and handle appropriate correspondence.
Furthermore, Lorena has created a harmonious and efficient work environment in the administrative field, allowing her to graciously represent our OCRC in a regional capacity. Lorena enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her family.
Ms. Santoyo currently provides administrative oversight for a number of state programs and initiatives, overseeing distribution of funds and compliance and providing technical assistance to grantees. Additionally, she has worked for over twenty years in grant writing, grant management, program development, grant administration and fiscal agent administration. Developing competitive proposals that capture the intent and aspirations of teams and institutions is my specialty, substantiated by having secured over $100 million in competitive grant funding since 2009. Having managed the grants office at a public institution for over 20 years, she is deeply versed in federal uniform grant guidelines, A-133 audit standards, internal controls standards, and a variety of state and foundation terms and conditions. Ms. Santoyo has developed processes and procedures to support grant management for 100-200 grant budgets annually, which prepared me to serve as the fiscal agent administrator since 2016 for over $20 million each year on behalf of the region, and for over $300 million on behalf of the state since 2018.
714-480-7466
Santoyo_Sarah@rsccd.edu
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Dr. Crete is the Orange County Regional Chair/Director for the Orange County subregion of the Los Angeles Orange County Regional Consortium (LAOCRC) hosted by the Educational Services division of Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD). As such, she is responsible for providing leadership and long-range economic and workforce planning in consultation with the nine Orange County community colleges and one noncredit institution career education deans, faculty, and regional workforce partners.
With almost 30 years of industry, nonprofit, and education experience, Dr. Crete keenly understands the importance of the relationship between workforce and education. As OC’s regional director, her work includes convening the region in order to foster collaborative partnerships for the development and execution of strategies designed to improve career opportunities for Orange County’s community college career education students. Dr. Crete’s strengths include utilizing data and labor market information to drive the regional decision-making process.
Prior to her current role, Dr. Crete was the OC Center of Excellence Director where she worked alongside the previous OC Regional Chair in authoring Orange County’s Regional Strong Workforce Program 3-Year Plan and other strategic initiatives. Along with her OC COE team, she provided the research and labor market information required for the recommendation of new, existing, and exploratory Career Education programs, collaborated with educational and industry entities to connect community colleges and workforce partners, and authored the year-long mixed methods research study, the Orange County Sector Analysis Project, Orange County’s Resilient Jobs report, and led the research arm of the county-wide Orange County Economic Recovery Strategy which included CSUF’s Woods Center of Economic Development, California’s EDD, local economists, as well as regional workforce development boards and other key partners.
Dr. Crete earned her doctorate in educational leadership with a higher education concentration from the University of Southern California. She earned her M.S. in educational guidance counseling from National University, a California Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) Credential, and a B.A. from Chapman University in organizational leadership.
714-564-5521
crete_jesse@rsccd.edu
Jacob Poore is the Assistant Director of the Orange County Center of Excellence (OC COE) and previously served as the OC COE’s Research Analyst. Jacob also served as the Interim Director of the OC COE from June to December 2021. With over seven years of higher education and data experience at both the community college and four-year university level, Jacob understands the importance of data-driven decision making to create, develop, and modify programs to improve student outcomes. With a background in economics, Jacob also knows the importance of being responsive to labor market conditions and the critical role of workforce development in preparing students for in-demand, living wage jobs.
During his time with the OC COE, Jacob has contributed to and co-authored the Orange County Sector Analysis Project, the recently published OC Resilient Jobs & Jobs for Recovery, the first ever water/wastewater statewide report and industry partnership (California Workforce Needs in the Water/Wastewater Industry) and the Orange County Economic Recovery Strategy, among other reports.
Prior to the OC COE, Jacob was a program coordinator for the School of Global Policy and Strategy at UC San Diego. In that role, Jacob was responsible for analyzing undergraduate and graduate student data to develop and refine curriculum and worked with students to help them achieve their academic and career goals.
Jacob earned a Master of International Affairs Degree, with an emphasis in economics, as well as a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and International Studies from UC San Diego.