Education official becomes youngest Board president in the history of the Ventura County Board of Education

December 26, 2007

Santa Paula News

After becoming one of the youngest individuals ever elected to a County Board of Education in California, Chris Valenzano, at age 28, was recently selected to serve his first term as president of the Ventura County Board of Education on December 10.“It is a true honor and a privilege to be given the opportunity to serve the residents of Ventura County as president of the Ventura County Board of Education,” remarked Valenzano. “As I settle into my new position, I want to take a moment to recognize the service of my predecessor, Marty Bates, who has led this organization well these past few years.”Marty Bates was first elected on November 25, 1994, and has served as president of the Ventura County Board of Education a total of five times since he was reelected to office in November of 1998.“It has been a pleasure to serve the Board of Education as their president for the past three consecutive years,” Bates commented. “It has been a wonderful experience for me to help guide this organization to where it is at today and I look forward to continuing to serve the residents of the Conejo Valley as their representative on the Board of Education. As I step down from the presidency, I do so knowing that a very competent and capable replacement has been chosen. I have full faith that Mr. Valenzano will provide excellent leadership as he assumes his new duties and responsibilities on our board.”Valenzano graduated from Adolfo Camarillo High School in June of 1997 and went on to graduate from California State University at Channel Islands with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business with high honors (cum laude). Valenzano graduated as part of the university’s first full and independent graduating class in May of 2004.

In addition to his elected duties, Valenzano is an emergency manager and a reservist with the United State Air Force and the California Air National Guard, and emergency medical technician on a 911 rescue ambulance with American Medical Response (AMR) of Ventura County, a member of AMR’s National Disaster Response Team, president of the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics (Local 12-59), and a father of two beautiful children, whom he raises with his loving wife, Deyla.Since being elected to the Board of Education, Valenzano has served on may local and statewide committees and task forces, including the Legislative Committee for the California County Boards of Education, the selection committee for the Ventura County Committee on School District Organization, and Governor Schwarzenegger’s Statewide Education Coalition.Prior to being elected to the Board of Education, Valenzano served as former State Assemblyman Tony Strickland’s education policy advisor. During his time working for the state, Valenzano was influential in researching important legislation such as high school exit exams, class size reduction, and reading-intensive programs.Valenzano was first elected to the position of governing board member on the Ventura County Board of Education during an election held on November 2, 2004, and has just completed his first term as vice president of the Board of Education. He currently represents District 3, which includes the communities of Camarillo, Somis, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Piru, Ojai, Meiners Oaks, Oak View, Wheeler Springs, and the Lockwood Valley.