Meet the Board

 

A product of local public school districts, Russell graduated from California High School where he served as ASB President. Russell holds a B.A. in political science from Stanford University, an M.P.P. from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and an Ed.D. in educational leadership for social justice from Loyola Marymount University. Russell has dedicated himself to a career in higher education to help create educational opportunities to others that he was offered as a student.

 

Russell currently serves as the Director of Government and Community Relations at Río Hondo College. He has also served as an adjunct professor of political science for the Los Angeles Community College District. Before arriving at Río Hondo, Russell worked for Loyola Marymount University as a campus minister for community service, and worked for Congressman Xavier Becerra in his Los Angeles district office as a special projects coordinator.

 

Russell has been a Whittier resident for over 45 years. An advocate of public service, Russell has volunteered his time for the Interfaith Food Center, Whittier First Day Coalition, the Whittier Cultural Arts Commission, and the Hispanic Outreach Taskforce. Russell is married to Maria Castañeda Calleros and has embraced the shared vocation of raising three children: Abram, Grace, and Selah. All three children are currently attending Whittier High School. The Castañeda Calleros family remains active with St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church in Uptown Whittier.

 

Appointed to the Board in 2010.  Current term through November 2026.

 

 

 

 

Mr. Jaime López was elected in November of 2020 to represent Trustee Area 2 of the Whittier Union High School District. Mr. Lopez was the first in his family to attend college earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Spanish from Cal State Sacramento.  He also holds a graduate degree in Public Administration from Cal State Long Beach. 

 

Mr. Lopez is a public employee for the City of Santa Ana in the Community Development Agency.   He serves as an appointed member to the Río Hondo College Measure A Citizens Oversight Committee and was a member of the California High School Site Council. 

Jaime and his wife Vanessa, an elementary school teacher, are the proud parents of two Whittier Union High School District students. He is committed to enhancing educational pathways for the youth in our community.

 

Elected to the Board in 2020.  Current term through November 2028.

 

 

 

Josefina E. Canchola was sworn into the WUHSD Board of Trustees on July 18, 2023.  She was unanimously appointed by the Board to represent Trustee Area Three. She is a proud product of public education having attended schools in LAUSD and graduated from Pioneer High School in the WUHSD.  Josefina graduated from the University of California, Riverside where she received a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Sociology in 1988.  She also holds a Masters in Management Degree from the University of Phoenix and a certificate on California Politics from the University of Southern California. Josefina has nearly 30 years of expertise in the field of higher education having worked for the University of California’s Office of the President, The University of California, Riverside and most recently with The University of California, Berkeley.

 

Josefina presently serves as Director of Secondary Programs for The Puente Project, an award-winning academic preparation program for underserved, underrepresented students.  Josefina oversees all of the middle and high school programs throughout California including California, Whittier, and La Serna High School Puente Programs in WUHSD.  Josefina has been working for Puente for the last 23 years.

 

Josefina has dedicated much of her time to volunteering to numerous efforts that promote student leadership development, community engagement and empowerment of women and girls.  She is a past president of the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project (CLYLP) where she has volunteered for over 30 years. She is also involved with Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) and is a graduate of their prestigious HOPE Leadership Institute. Josefina is also President-Elect of the University of California, Riverside Alumni Association and will be the first Latina to hold this important position. She has also served the local community twice as an appointed member and once as an elected representative of the California Central Democratic Committee.  She also served as Vice Chair of Rio Hondo College’s Citizens Oversight Committee. Josefina has been a member of the Little Lake City School District’s and Pioneer High School’s LCAP Committees.  Given her dedication to serve, Josefina has received recognitions like The 57th Assembly District’s Woman of Achievement Award and President Barack Obama’s Community Service Award.

 

Josefina is a single parent of three children, her eldest Julia, is also a Pioneer High School graduate.  Her two younger children will eventually join the WUHSD scholar family when they get to high school.

 

Appointed to the Board in 2023.  Current term through November 2028. 

 

 

Irma Rodríguez Moisa was elected to the Board in November 2022.  Ms. Rodríguez Moisa and her husband, Alex M. Moisa, are the parents of three children, all of whom attended high school in the Whittier Union High School District.  Cristina graduated from La Serna High School and went on to earn bachelor's and master’s degrees from U.C. Berkeley and Loyola Marymount University and is a school psychologist.  Alex graduated from La Serna High School and earned his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and a Master’s in Public Policy degree from UCLA.  Alex serves as an environmental policy analyst with the California Public Utilities Commission.  Isaac graduated from Whittier High School and received his bachelor’s degree from U.C. Santa Barbara and is pursuing a career in sports management.
 
Ms. Rodríguez Moisa grew up in Ventura County and she and her family have lived in Whittier for over thirty years.  She is an attorney and a partner at Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, headquartered in Cerritos, CA. Ms. Rodríguez Moisa specializes in labor and employment law representing public and private entities.  She earned a bachelor’s degree from U.C. Berkeley, a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard University and her law degree from U.C. Berkeley.  In addition to practicing law, Ms. Rodríguez Moisa serves on her Firm’s executive committee, is co-COO and the partner in charge of the Cerritos office.   Ms. Rodríguez Moisa is a proud supporter of many local non-profit organizations and currently serves as the Vice President of the WUHSD Educational Foundation.
 
Ms. Rodríguez Moisa’s service as a Trustee is motivated by her belief that public education is an investment in our future and that the high school experience should be a transformative experience for students.  Ms. Rodriguez Moisa is committed to making decisions that will positively impact students, staff, and the community.

 

Elected to the Board in 2022.  Current term through November 2026. 

 

 

 

 

Born and raised in Whittier, California, Mr. Gary Mendez’ family has been in the Whittier area for more than 170 years.  With deep roots in the community, he is the third of five generations to attend Whittier High School.

Mr. Mendez  represents WUHSD Trustee Area 5 – the first to be elected to this community following the 2019 transition from At-Large Board of Trustee elections to elections by smaller, more representative Trustee Areas, in alignment with the California Voting Right Act (2017 CVRA). The more representative Trustee Areas gave a voice – for the first time in 100 years – to the communities of Unincorporated South Whittier, portions of North Norwalk, and Santa Fe Springs. Providing a more representative voice, via the Trustee Area 5 seat, has uplifted the issues and concerns of deep importance to the high school students and parents of the under-resourced communities of this area.

In keeping with his deep commitment to advocacy, Trustee Mendez is dedicated to closing the achievement gap for students of color who are economically disadvantaged, gender gap, funding support services for all struggling students, providing essential mental health services, and ensuring vital academic counseling to students.

Before joining the Board, Mr. Mendez successfully served five consecutive terms (1999-2020) on the Río Hondo Community College District Board where he championed institutional change in support of student success and resources for disadvantaged students.

Mr. Mendez graduated from Whittier High School in 1987, where he also earned a certificate in Child Development from the Regional Occupational Program. He then attended Río Hondo College where he, like many students today, experienced homelessness and food insecurity as a student. He later transferred to CSU Sacramento, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Government while working for the State Legislature.

As a public servant for more than 30 years, Trustee Mendez worked in the local, state, and federal levels of government as a legislative staffer for regional government, the California State Assembly, the United States House of Representatives, and the United States Department of Commerce.

On his own time, he is dedicated to the empowerment, safety, physical, and emotional well-being of youth. He is a certificated Karate and Meditation sensei, teaching youth and community members Okinawan Shorin Ryu Matsumura Seito Karate-Do, Kenpo Karate, and Zen for more than 40 years.

 

Elected to the Board in 2022.  Current term through November 2026.