GAVILAN COLLEGE, CA : Last week, at-least eight Gavilan College alumni were hired -- by the voters -- in regional and local elections for public offices including the state assembly, water district board, city councils, and school boards. Luis Alejo, current mayor of Watsonville, and former Gavilan College star wrestler, will be headed to Sacramento as the District 28 representative to the state assembly. He will be honored on November 20 by the Community College League of California among the Distinguished Alumni of the Year for 2010.

Gavilan College alumnus Don Gage will end his term on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to  join the board of the Santa Clara Valley Water District. Current Gavilan College  instructor and former Gavilan College Associated Student Body President Dom Payne  will be joining the Gilroy Unified School District Board of Trustees. Two additional Gavilan College alumni, Walt Glines and Tony Ruiz (who attended San Benito Junior College),  will join the re-elected Kent Child on the  Gavilan College Board of Trustees. Dr. Peter Arrellano returns to the Gilroy City Council, and former student and instructor Robert Scattini will serve on the Hollister City Council.

They join numerous alumni already in office: Gilroy Mayor Al Pinheiro and city councilman Perry Woodward, Gavilan College trustees Laura Perry, Tom Breen and Mark Dover , and San Benito County Supervisors James De La Cruz and Margie Barrios.

"It speaks to the value of a Gavilan College education that so many alumni occupy positions of prominence within their communities," said Jan Bernstein Chargin, Director of Public Information. "It is very likely that there are even more out there that we are not aware of. I hope to hear from alumni with updates to this list!"

Gavilan College alumni are encouraged to stay in touch with the college by joining the Alumni Registry at http://www.gavilan.edu/alumni/index.html, or emailing alumni@gavilan.edu.

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