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Omar Zaki, Chair |
Omar Zaki has been a resident of Riverside for over two decades. He is currently the President of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), California Political Action Committee and since 9/11, has dedicated himself to educating people about the Muslim community. In 2003, Omar served as Director of Government Relations for CAIR, Southern California Chapter. His work extended into helping create a Multi-Cultural Advisory Council for the FBI where he has served as an adviser since 2004.
Omar is also a former soldier and a veteran of the United States Army. He earned his Bachelor of Science from the University of Redlands in Business Management, and studied at the University of La Verne, College of Law. Omar works as an agent/owner of an Allstate Insurance agency in Riverside. |
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Lorraine Saint |
Lorraine Saint was born and raised in the city of Riverside and as a graduate of the United Way's Blueprint for volunteer Diversity, Lorraine fosters a strong sense of pride in continuing to volunteer, work, and live in Riverside. She currently serves as Executive Director for the Greater Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and is pursuing her MBA at the University of Redlands, School of Business at the Riverside Campus.
In her first year as a Human Relations Commissioner, Lorraine has committed to serving as the chairwoman of the new "Community Response Working Committee.” |
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Dr. Raj K. Singh |
Dr. Singh has lived in the City of Riverside since 1989 and was appointed to the Human Relations Commission in November, 2006. . Dr. Singh holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Policy Planning and Administration, a Degree of Engineering, and a Master of Science from the University of Southern California. He also holds a Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering and Management from the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok, Thailand and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Allahabad, India.
Early in his career, Dr. Singh worked for multinational defense corporations such as ITT, Rockwell International, and the Litton Industries. In addition, he served on the cultural diversity committee for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Dr. Singh has extensive experience in teaching and administration in higher education and is currently teaching at the A. Gary Anderson School of Management at the University of California, Riverside. |
| Photo coming soon |
John H. Krick |
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Gilberto Esquivel |
Gilberto Esquivel was born in Kingsville, Texas, and has lived in the City of Riverside since 1986. Gilberto is currently retired from a career which spanned over 35 years in broadcasting. He and his wife Yolanda have been married for 31 years and live in the University Heights area of Riverside. In the mid-1960’s, Gilberto first served as a Human Relations Commissioner in the City of Joliet, Illinois, and in the mid-1970’s he served as a member of the Planning Commission in the City of Coachella, Ca.
Gilberto has been a founding member and has held positions within numerous civic and community organizations including, President of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), Chapter No. 24 in the Coachella Valley, President of the Coachella Valley Mexican American Chamber of Commerce, founding member of the Valley Missionary Program, Chairperson of Nuestra Navidad Christmas Fund, President of Hispanos Unidos of Moreno Valley, member of the Board of Directors and president of the Exchange Club of Riverside, member of the board of Caritas Communications Diocese of San Bernardino, and member of the Board of Directors of the Riverside, San Bernardino and Fontana Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. |
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Georgia Warnke |
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Marisa
Valdez-Yeager (Vice-Chair) |
| Marisa was born and raised
in Riverside, CA. She is currently employed as a Government
and Board Relations Administrator (Federal Affairs) for the
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA). She
is a Board Member of Hispanas Organized for Political Equality
(HOPE) and a member of the American Society for Public Administration
and the Latino Network. |
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Gladys Walker |
| Gladys is a 36-year resident
of Riverside. Currently, she is employed with the Riverside
Unified School District as an Assistant Superintendent with
supervisory responsibilities that include Secondary Education. A
Leadership Riverside graduate, she has volunteered her time
to several community organizations including the Riverside
County YWCA, United Way, and the Riverside Educational Enrichment
Foundation. She is a member of the California Association
of School Administrators (ASCA) and California Public Policy
Institute Advisory Board. |
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AJ Wilson |
| A.J. is the previous Chair of the
Human Relations Commission, resides in the Magnolia Center
area, and is presently the Executive Director of the Pomona
Valley Educational Foundation. He is retired from a 25-year
career in public administration which included eight years
as the Executive Director of the Western Riverside Council
of Governments and City Manager positions in Santa Ana, Pomona,
Kansas City, and St. Louis, Missouri, as well as Portland,
Maine. He
chairs community nonprofit boards including, the Trustees of
the First Congregational Church in downtown Riverside. He
is the author of a number of articles on issues of civil rights
in urban centers. |
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Viet Tran (Parliamentarian) |
From 2005 to 2006, Viet served on the Airport Commission for the City of Riverside, representing the 5th Council Ward. Viet currently serves on the board of directors for the March of Dimes of the Inland Empire and the Riverside County Regional Medical Center Foundation. Professionally, he serves as a Region Manager for Southern California Edison, an Edison International Company.
Prior to joining Edison, Viet worked for the City of Los Angeles as the West Los Angeles Area Director to then Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn.
Viet also served as District Deputy to former LA City Councilmember Ruth Galanter and as Press Aide to former LA Mayor Richard Riordan.
The son of Vietnamese war refugees, Tran was born in Olympia, Washington, attended Hawthorne High School in Hawthorne, California and is a graduate of the University of Southern California’s School of Public Administration. |
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Maria J. Scott |
Maria Scott was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her family migrated to Pomona, California in 1968, where Maria graduated from Garey High School. She has been a resident of Riverside since 1987. Maria and her husband have been married for 20 years and have a daughter graduating from John W. North High School in June, 2008 and preparing for college. Maria has been employed with the County of Riverside’s Child Support Division for the past seven years. She is also preparing to become a Certified Court Interpreter. In addition, Maria is also a graduate of Riverside’s Eleanor Jean Grier Leadership Academy, Class of 2007.
Maria sought to join the City of Riverside’s Human Relations Commission because she would like to work with individuals who are striving to make positive changes for the many diverse groups of people in the City of Riverside.
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Beth Hill Skinner |
Beth Hill Skinner has called the community of
Riverside “home” since 1984. As an educator at several
universities in the area, as well as Riverside Community
College, she has the opportunity to hear from individuals of
many diverse backgrounds and socio-economic groups. The
diversity of culture and ethnicities are what make Riverside so
attractive to Beth. For over 12 years she worked for the
multi-cultural Diocese of San Bernardino as a project manager of
small communities. Her work with a full range of socio-economic
and multi-lingual groups included communication training,
facilitator skills workshops, conflict communication, conflict
management training, and leadership skills training.
She has been a small business owner, worked in the television
industry, is a veteran of the U.S. Army and is well- traveled.
She speaks German, Spanish and is learning Arabic. Beth is a
graduate of the University of California, Riverside and
University of Notre Dame in Indiana. She is also the author of
the “Off To College” book series. She is currently writing a
book on Islam and Iraq. |
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Diane G. Lang |
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Diane G. Lang was raised in Riverside,
California and is a product of Riverside public schools. She
currently lives, works and worships in the City of Riverside.
Diane earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice
Administration from San Diego State University and furthered her
studies by earning a teaching credential followed by a Masters
Degree in Education. Diane is currently studying Educational
Technology at the University of California, Riverside. Diane
has been a public school teacher for the past decade, and
currently teaches for the Riverside Unified School District
Educational:Options Center. At her school site, she teaches
elementary and high school students, provides intensive reading
instruction to struggling readers and instructs online courses.
She serves her school site as a teacher representative on the
school site council committee, where she holds the position of
vice-chairperson. In 2008, she was selected as the site
Teacher of the Year. Diane is a contributing writer,
academic reviewer and teacher advisory panel member for Holt
McDougal educational publishing company. At her children’s
school she serves as an Executive Board member for the
California Parent Teacher Association (PTA), holding the
position of Historian. Diane is enthusiastic about her
appointment to the Human Relations Commission, and about the
opportunity to promote equal access for Riverside’s diverse
communities.
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