Audrey Baca is a graduate of the Educational Leadership doctoral program, which prioritizes equity, social justice, and transformational leadership, at California State University, San Bernardino. Grounded in the critical paradigm, her dissertation research examined organizational changes in developmental education reform, California Assembly Bill 705, at a Hispanic-serving community college. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Education with an emphasis in Communications and a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Composition from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
As a dedicated advocate for historically underserved student populations, Audrey is committed to teaching and working with community college students to facilitate a stronger higher education pipeline. Currently, Dr. Baca teaches transfer-level English classes online at Miramar College. She also works as a program assistant for San Bernardino Valley College in the Development and Community Relations department. Dr. Baca supports collaborations with key stakeholders in efforts to secure and expand scholarship offerings and grants through the SBVC Foundation.
As a first-generation Latina, Dr. Baca took every opportunity as a doctoral student at CSUSB, to be actively involved in opportunities that allowed her to serve Latina/o/x communities. As a graduate student member of the President’s Council on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity, Audrey was a part of larger campus efforts to avidly explore ways to improve equity with events that generate “courageous conversations” and by engaging with diversity consultants to advance faculty diversity hiring initiatives. She has presented at and supported the initiatives of the Latino Education Advocacy Days (LEAD) Summit IX—Viva La Mujer!, Mustang to Coyote Transfer Pathway Forum—Empowering Our Future Leaders, and 50/50 Day: Getting to Gender Equity.
Previously, Dr. Baca was an Educational Consultant and Professional Services Manager working in K-12 public education throughout California and the nation. In these roles, she led teams of consultants and teachers in implementation of reading intervention and language learner programs, facilitating students’ preparation for college and careers. For eleven years, she witnessed first-hand the inequities of the K-12 educational system and advocated for students of color, low socioeconomic students, students in special education, and English Language learners.
As so many Latina/o/x students begin their educational journeys in community colleges, she believes her passion for equity and social justice will best serve Latina/o/x students as they traverse the higher education pipeline, from community college to “four-year” institutions, into graduate school and beyond. She recognizes that a solid foundation for Latina/o/x students starts in their successful experience in transfer-level English and mathematics/statistics courses. Dr. Baca strives to cultivate critical relationships with other advocates to build solid bridges for Latina/o/x students, and other historically underserved students, to cross as they attain their higher education aspirations.