Baca Elected Board President

December 15, 2023 - 12:12 AM

At its annual organizational meeting on Dec. 13, the Mt. San Antonio College Board of Trustees elected Dr. Manuel Baca as president, Peter Hidalgo as vice president, and Robert Hidalgo as clerk. They each will serve one-year terms, effective immediately.  Outgoing president Gary Chow was thanked for his service and praised by his colleagues. 

Trustee Baca was first elected to the Board in 1999.  Baca represents Area 7, which covers Pomona and north Diamond Bar. He is a resident of Diamond Bar.  During his tenure on the governing board, he has served multiple terms as president. Dr. Baca is a professor emeritus of Political Science, Management, and Business Law at Rio Hondo College and Lecturer of Higher Education (EdD Program) for the Charter College of Education at California State University, Los Angeles. Currently, Dr. Baca is a member of the advisory committee for Wheelhouse, the Center for Community College Leadership and Research at UC Davis, and Vice Chair of the Foundation for California Community Colleges.

Trustee Peter Hidalgo was elected to the Board in 2020 to represent Area 1, which covers north Pomona, San Dimas, La Verne, and south Glendora. Hidalgo is a government affairs executive in the telecommunications industry, with over 20 years of experience in both public and private industry leading public affairs and communication teams.  Hidalgo previously served as press secretary for former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan. He is a board member for The Learning Centers at Fairplex, Just Us 4 Youth, and LAs BEST.  Hidalgo also served as chair of the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership. Hidalgo attended Citrus College, where his experience as a student leader set the course for his professional life in public affairs. 

Trustee Robert Hidalgo was elected to the Mt. SAC Board of Trustees on Nov. 5, 2013, representing the newly created District 4, which represents most of West Covina and Valinda.  He was re-elected in 2022. Previously, Hidalgo served on the Rowland Unified School Board of Education to which he was elected in 2005 and again in 2009.  In addition, he has served on the executive board for the California Latino School Board Association, Los Angeles County School Trustees Association, and the La Puente Valley Regional Occupational Program.  Hidalgo, a West Covina resident, has over 20 years of experience in public education, having taught at both middle and high schools.