President, Los Angeles Mission College
Ornelas has dedicated her career to advocating for immigrant rights, educational equity and ensuring access to higher education. In her tenure at the Los Angeles Community College District, Ornelas served as a faculty member in political science and served as the vice president of instruction at East Los Angeles College before becoming president at Los Angeles Mission College in Sylmar after Monte Perez retired two years ago. Ornelas, raised in East Los Angeles, earned her undergraduate and Ph.D. degrees from UCLA and her master’s degree from the University of Chicago. She is on the boards of the Valley Economic Alliance and the Valley Industry and Commerce Association.