ROBERTO URANGA

Regional Member, South | City of Long Beach

ROBERTO URANGA was recently elected to represent the residents of the Long Beach City Council's 7th District.

Roberto boasts an extensive record of community service in Long Beach and nationally. Immediately before being elected, he was serving his fourth term as a member of the Board of Trustees of Long Beach City College representing Area 2, the most diverse area in the community college district. First elected in 2000, he was unopposed for reelection in 2004, 2008 and 2012. Roberto was three times (2002-03, 2006-08, 2012-13) elected by his colleagues to serve as President of the Board of Trustees.

With his leadership, Long Beach City College passed two bond measures to upgrade old and outdated classrooms and facilities and has been an influential advocate for implementing student success programs at the college, including the highly successful and widely recognized College Promise, a program that brings together the Long Beach Unified School District, California State University, Long Beach and Long Beach City College.

Roberto is the immediate past chair of the national Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). The ACCT is a nationally recognized advocate for community college education representing more than 6,500 elected and appointed trustees who govern over 1,200 community, technical and junior colleges in the United States. ACCT is the voice of community college trustees to the Administration, Congress, the Departments of Education and Labor and more. He became the first Latino to lead that group during his recently concluded chairmanship.

Roberto attended California State University, Long Beach, where he worked for seven years as an administrator in the university's retention program before beginning his 28 ½ year career with the City of Long Beach.

Over his career with the City, Roberto worked in various departments and has held positions as a Personnel Analyst, as the city's Recruitment Officer, as the Manager of Police Impounds and he recently retired as the Administrative Officer for the City's Department of Health and Human Services.

Roberto's community service is extensive. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Centro Shalom, a non-profit organization that provides pathways to health and self-sufficiency to the underserved and impoverished of greater Long Beach and the surrounding communities. He is a former Board member of the American Red Cross of Greater Long Beach, past president of the Hispanic Business Association of Greater Long Beach and served as the California Deputy Director of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), a civil rights advocacy group. Roberto has volunteered time and service to the NAACP, the Youth Motivation Task Force and in several philanthropic organizations including the Long Beach Branch of the Urban League, the Long Beach Community Partnership Committee and the Long Beach Selective Service Board.

Additionally, Roberto has participated in a number of citywide advisory groups as well as being an active participation in efforts to address public safety, business development and education. He was a member of the city's Redevelopment Agency's Central Project Area Committee that led to the development of the Wrigley Marketplace. He is a founding member of the Manny Perez Scholarship Fund that provides scholarships to deserving LBUSD students to continue their educational goals.

Roberto's bride of 28 years is former Long Beach 7th District Councilmember, Tonia Reyes Uranga. He and Tonia are the proud parents of three adult children, Rosalinda, Emiliano James and Roberto Tomas and have lived in the Wrigley Area of Long Beach for 27 years.