Posted On 2012-09-22

Year 1999

Memoir Assemblymember Roger Hernández is a graduate of Nogales High School, class of 1993 and was elected in November 2010 to represent the 57th Assembly District, which includes the cities of Azusa, Baldwin Park, Covina, La Puente, West Covina, Irwindale, Industry, and the San Gabriel Valley unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, including Bassett, Charter Oak, Citrus, East Arcadia, Hacienda Heights, North Whittier, Ramona and Valinda.

Hernández was appointed to the leadership position of Majority Whip by the Speaker of the Assembly, and was also selected to serve as Chair of the Select Committee on Low High School Matriculation Rates. In addition, he serves on the Committee on Banking and Finance, the Health Committee, the Utilities and Commerce Committee, and the Committee on Water, Parks, and Wildlife.

Prior to being elected to the Assembly, Hernández was a Professor of Government at Rio Hondo and Citrus Community Colleges. He served as Mayor and as a Councilmember for the City of West Covina. Prior to his tenure on the City Council, Hernández was elected to the Rowland Unified School Board were he served form November 1999 through July 2003.

During his time as a Councilmember, Hernández championed the creation of a city-run ambulance service. By creating this much needed ambulance service, West Covina was not-only able to cut emergency response times considerably but was able to generate cost savings and revenue for the city while enhancing the city’s emergency services to the public. In addition, his focus on health and wellness issues and the need for recreational and open space for residents was clearly demonstrated through his tireless efforts to create the award winning Cameron Park Gymnasium and Community Center.

In the Assembly, Hernández is focused on achieving the following goals: rebuilding the state’s world-class education system for our children; promoting health and wellness issues; creating jobs; breaking the state budget gridlock by advocating for long-term fixes for Californians; and protecting open spaces so residents of the San Gabriel Valley can have the quality of life that they so richly deserve.

As a son of immigrant parents in a working-class household, Hernández was the first in his family to pursue higher education goals beyond high school, by earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California-Riverside, a Master's degree in Public Administration from the University of La Verne and a Master's in Governance Certificate from the California School Boards Association (CSBA).