Abubakar Haji, also known as Haji, is an inspiring educator with a rich background, hailing from Mogadishu, Somalia. Surviving the civil war and immigrating to the U.S., Haji grew up in East San Diego. As a former English Learner, he intimately understands the challenges students face in pursuing higher education, especially as someone raised by a single mother. Introduced to resources at his local community college, he overcame obstacles, eventually earning a master's degree from San Diego State University. With over 14 years of experience in education, coaching, and counseling, Haji is passionate about disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline. Committed to empowering adult learners, he aims to help underserved communities overcome challenges. Currently serving as an adjunct counselor at the San Diego College of Continuing Education, Haji dedicates himself to assisting students in navigating career paths and providing comprehensive counseling services.
Andrew Nickens as an alum of Folsom Lake College and UC Davis, where he earned his BA in Political Science-Public Service. He served as Region II Legislative Affairs Director and Vice President of Legislative Affairs for the SSCCC from 2019 to 2021 and went on to become a Jesse M. Unruh Assembly Fellow with the Office of Assemblymember Vince Fong. Andrew is currently the Legislative Scheduler for the Office of Senator Brian Dahle.
Dr. Abdimalik Buul is an award-winning professor, antiracist activist, and emancipatory educator and has been leading statewide efforts in race-conscious practices and antiracism trainings. He is an innovative dynamic leader within the San Diego community and throughout the state of California. In 2019 he was awarded the Golden Apple for being the faculty member of the year at San Diego City Community College, it is the first time such recognition was given to a faculty member from the Student Services department. He is currently serving a two-year visiting executive of educational excellence role at the California Community College Chancellor’s office. During this tenure, he will assist in ensuring equal employment opportunities and initiatives are connected to the classroom.
Daisy Gonzales, Ph.D., serves as the Deputy chancellor of the California Community Colleges, the largest system of public higher education in the United States. She leads the 116-community college system, which serves over 1.9 million students with a student-centered mindset and a goal of creating equitable and supportive ecosystems where students thrive.
She is an experienced and unapologetic advocate for student success. Born into an immigrant family in Southern California and raised as a former foster youth, Dr. Gonzales was among the first in her family to attend college. She credits her time in the Los Angeles foster care system and schools as having shaped her views of the integral role public institutions play in the lives of students and the economic development in a community.
Frank Fernandez is Associate Professor of Higher Education Administration & Policy and affiliate faculty with the Center for Latin American Studies at University of Florida. He writes about educational equity and policy issues. He is co-author of The Contested Campus: Aligning Professional Values, Social Justice, and Free Speech and Transformational University Leadership: A Case Study for 21st Century Leaders and Aspirational Research Universities. He is a fellow with the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. He graduated from Imperial Valley College and was 2007-2008 SSCCC President.
Katherine Squire is from Stockton where she attended San Joaquin Delta College before transferring to UC Berkeley and completing her bachelor's degree in political science. During her college years, Katherine worked on campaigns at every level, interned for Mayor Michael Tubbs, joined student government, and served as the SSCCC Vice President from 2020-2021. Katherine also recently completed the Capitol Senate Fellowship and currently works as a legislative aide in the office of Senator Anthony Portantino.
Born in a Kenyan refugee camp, Mr. Musse, fluent in Somali, understands the challenges faced by immigrant and refugee students. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Education after completing a bachelor's degree in Africana Studies at SDSU, his commitment to working with youth stems from a deep love for his community. As a community college counselor, he focuses on empowering diverse students, drawing from his personal experience navigating the challenges of community college. With a master's degree in education counseling, Mr. Musse is well-equipped to guide students in both academic and personal growth, particularly those facing barriers to higher education. This role allows him to make a meaningful impact on underrepresented and underserved community members.
Retired Senator Connie Leyva, now the Executive Director of KVCR, brings a wealth of legislative experience and know-how to the Advocacy Academy. While in the Senate, she served as Chair of the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Democratic Caucus and participated in key committees such as Business, Professions and Economic Development, Elections and Constitutional Amendments, and Health. Her impactful legislation spans empowering rape survivors, expanding rights against discrimination, strengthening worker benefits, reducing pollution, and much more. A lifelong advocate for working people, she began her career as a union representative and later became the first woman President of the California Labor Federation.