Eloy Ortiz Oakley

The California Community Colleges Board of Governors appointed Eloy Ortiz Oakley as chancellor for the California Community Colleges beginning December 19, 2016.

Eloy Ortiz Oakley was appointed as the Superintendent-President of the Long Beach Community College District (LBCCD) in 2007. Since his appointment, he has fostered strong relationships with members of the community, state and national policy leaders, his Board of Trustees and the faculty and staff of the college. He has provided statewide and national leadership on the issue of improving the education outcomes of historically underrepresented students. He joined LBCCD in 2002, serving as the assistant superintendent/executive vice president of administrative services. In this capacity, Oakley undertook supervision of the Measure E Bond construction program for the district and oversaw the finances and operations of the district’s two campuses. Before that, he served as the vice president of college services at Oxnard College; the assistant vice president of the Property & Casualty Division of Keenan & Associates and the manager of risk services at the Coast Community College District. Oakley also served as an adjunct faculty member teaching in and coordinating the Environmental Technology Certificate Program at Golden West College.

Partnering with the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) and California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), Oakley helped form the nationally recognized Long Beach College Promise (College Promise). Through the College Promise, LBUSD administrators and high school teachers work with college faculty and staff to create clear structured pathways for students to follow as they move from one education institution to another.  These pathways prepare LBUSD high school graduates to succeed in college, and College Promise students are guaranteed a tuition-free year at LBCC and preferred admission status to CSULB after completing the transfer requirements. Reports suggest the College Promise measurably reduces demand for college level remediation, increases student persistence rates and creates financial efficiencies so LBCC can educate more students for less money.

Oakley serves on the boards and committees of the University of California Board of Regents, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the California Forward Leadership Council, the College Futures Foundation, the American Association of Community Colleges, the YMCA of Greater Long Beach and the Long Beach Rotary Club. He sits on the advisory board for the CSULB Ed.D. Program in Educational Leadership.

Oakley himself is a community college success story. After serving four years in the U.S. Army, he enrolled at Golden West College. He then transferred to the University of California, Irvine where he received his degrees of Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Analysis and Design and Master of Business Administration.