Rita Gallardo Good
Bio
Chair
Dr. Rita Gallardo Good has dedicated more than 30 years to public service, holding leadership roles across California in higher education, state and local government, and local agencies. Her career reflects a deep commitment to public policy and building strong partnerships that advance equity and opportunity.
Most recently, Dr. Gallardo Good served as the Vice President of Partnerships and Policy Engagement for the Campaign for College Opportunity, where she played a key role in strengthening coalitions with funders, student groups, and leaders across California’s higher education systems. Prior to that, she was the Senior Associate Vice President for the Office of Public Affairs and Advocacy at California State University, Sacramento, where she was the highest‑ranking Latina on campus. In that role, she led statewide advocacy efforts, advanced public‑facing initiatives, supported policy engagement, and worked to expand access and student success for diverse communities.
Her earlier leadership positions include Assistant Director of Employer Relations at the California Teachers’ Retirement System, Chief of Stakeholder Relations at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, and Legislative Consultant to then‑State Senator Alex Padilla. In these roles, she provided strategic leadership in outreach, engagement, programming, and policy development, with a particular focus on higher education and public service.
Rita began her career in Southern California, serving as a senior advisor to elected officials and public agencies. A proud first‑generation college graduate, she earned degrees from Los Angeles Harbor Community College, the University of La Verne, and Sacramento State, where she completed her Doctorate in Educational Leadership in May 2024.
Rita currently serves as a Chair for the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, Commissioner for the City of Long Beach Civil Service Commission, and as an Advisory Board Member for Leadership California. She is also an alumna of several leadership programs, including the HOPE Leadership Institute (Class of 2008), Leadership California’s Policy and Trends Program (Class of 2010), and the Nehemiah Emerging Leadership Program (Class of 2015). She served for more than a decade on the Board of Directors for the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project.
Rita and her husband, Ross, are enthusiastic about calling Long Beach home, where they enjoy being close to their large circle of family and friends.