Santa Cruz Center Educational Foundation Board of Directors
Ms. Lourdes M. Jeong
President
Educator & Community Leader
loujeong@msn.com
Lourdes Jeong has a distinguished career in education, playing instrumental roles in teaching, professional development, curriculum development, fund development and policy. Currently she is a long-term substitute teacher for Nogales Unified School District in Nogales, Arizona.
For several years, Lourdes served as Program Director for Salud Por Vida Santa Cruz County School Superintendent’s Office in Nogales where she coordinated with partners to involve teachers and administrators in professional development on fitness, nutrition and healthy lifestyles.
Simultaneously, Lourdes served as Development Director for Lourdes Catholic School for the Diocese of Tucson and Program Supervisor for Catapult Learnings, LLC in Camden, NJ. She is the former Executive and Program Director for Young Audiences of Santa Cruz County, as well as the former Executive Director of United Way of Santa Cruz County and Christmas in April.
Lourdes was appointed by three Governors to serve as the Co-Chair for the Arizona-Mexico Commission’s Education Committee to coordinate statewide education and binational programs for PreK-16. She served two terms as Santa Cruz County’s representative on the State Board Of Directors For Community Colleges, appointed first by Governor Symington in 1993 and then Governor Hull.
Lourdes is a Member of Mariposa Community Health Center’s Board of Directors (17 years), a Member of the Lions Club since 1990 and Member of the President’s Minority Recruitment Board for Arizona State University. In 2000, she was awarded Woman of the Year by Zonta Club in Nogales, Arizona.
Lourdes holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication with an emphasis in Marketing from Arizona State University.
Mr. Nilo Larriva
Secretary/Treasurer
President, Board of Directors, Nogales Community Development
nilo@nogalesinternet.com
Nilo Larriva is a Nogales, Arizona native and life-long resident. He’s been part of his family’s businesses for 40 years. His family’s entrepreneurial roots in Nogales date back to 1942, when his grandfather opened Larriva’s Ace Electric Co. as a retail store of appliances, hardware and electronics. The family is no longer in retail, but Nilo stays busy as a member in the family’s new businesses. He handles all the accounting and property management for Larriva Corporation and Larriva Properties, two commercial and residential properties management entities.
Nilo is also a partner and Vice President of Fitness Express, Inc. a fitness center, established in 2000, which has two locations, Fitness Express in Nogales and Fit by Fitness Express in Rio Rico.
Nilo is President of Nogales Community Development Corporation. He’s also treasurer for the Nogales Lions Club, the Gebler Trust and the Nogales Educational Foundation. He’s happily married and has two sons.
Nilo graduated from Nogales High School. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from University of Arizona.
Mr. Guillermo G. Valencia
Board Member
President, Valencia International & Chairman, Nogales & Santa Cruz County Port Authority
gvalencia@evalencia.com
Guillermo G. Valencia is President and Co-owner of Valencia International, Inc., in Nogales, Arizona. Guillermo has over 40 years of experience in the Mexico import/export markets and international logistics industries.
As President of Valencia International, Guillermo leads a company that provides expertise in customs brokerage, shipping, storage, inventory, distribution and freight solutions to its clients along the Mexico-United States border, from San Diego, California to McAllen, Texas. Valencia International provides exceptional customer-oriented service while developing and implementing state-of-the-art automated systems for the delivery of services and compliance with U.S. Customs regulations.
Guillermo currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Greater Nogales Santa Cruz County Port Authority. Guillermo is a founding member and former President of the Nogales Customs Brokers Association; he was appointed to the Bi-National Economic Development Committee created by cities of Nogales, Arizona and Nogales, Sonora, Mexico. He currently serves on the Boards of the Transportation and Trade Corridor Alliance, Sun Corridor Inc, and on the Board of the Santa Cruz County Planning Zoning Commission.
Guillermo received his Customs Brokerage License in 1981. He is a 1974 graduate of Nogales High School, where he volunteered as coach for the varsity basketball and golf teams for over 30 years.
