Bakersfield

Central California Chapter Leader

CalSAC Senior Certified Trainer | since 2008  

LDI Fellow | 2012

Originally from Bakersfield, California, Michael Figueroa worked for the Kern County Superintendent of Schools to lead service-learning initiatives for both out-of-school and in-school settings. With the help of CalSAC, he has become equipped and empowered to innovate in his field. His service-learning program, which emphasizes national service as a key strategy in public education, has quickly became a statewide model. Michael shares the following about his experiences with CalSAC’s programs:

"I was working in Kern County when my relationship with CalSAC started. I applied to CalSAC’s training of trainers program and became certified. Shortly after, I became a leader and mentor for new trainers in the network." A few years later, Michael learned about CalSAC's Leadership Development Institute (LDI). He says, "I believed in CalSAC and their mission. Everything I heard aligned well with what I was hoping to do with my career. I ended up becoming part of the inaugural cohort for LDI."

"The network I was able to build through CalSAC, with people across the state, was a huge benefit to my career. That's one of the things CalSAC focuses on — connections. I went on to help organize CalSAC's Central Valley chapter and through that developed even more relationships."

"CalSAC's LDI content was especially helpful. I have never before had an opportunity to be part of something that explicitly helped leaders of color in the field. That enabled me to do something authentic and meaningful for me and my colleagues and led to more strategic thinking about how I engage in the work I do today."

“I find myself constantly raising a voice for equity and looking at how these issues impact young people. CalSAC’s LDI program provided framing, tools, and language to deeply engage in these matters. CalSAC helps people be more open about issues of race. CalSAC has helped me make these conversations and decisions central to the work that I do and less taboo for me.