Santa Ana College Foundation names three to its board of directors

Rancho Santiago Community College District
For Immediate Release: February 14, 2013
Contact: Judy Iannaccone, Director, Communications, Phone: (714) 480-7503, E-mail: iannaccone_judy@rsccd.edu

Santa Ana College Foundation Names Three to Its Board of Directors

(Santa Ana)—The Santa Ana College (SAC) Foundation recently appointed Madeline Grant, David Valentin, and Debbie Walsh to its board of directors. The foundation is a registered non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that raises funds to support the college and its students through the guidance of a 17-member board of directors. These three new board members will provide critical leadership for the college’s strategic philanthropic initiatives that move students through their education and improve the college’s learning environment.

Grant, a Tustin resident, is a SAC professor of business, marketing, and international business. She serves as department chair for the Global Business and Entrepreneurship Department. She was responsible for the creation of the new contemporary marketing degree and certificate program at the college and for its international business program being accredited by the National Association of Small Business International Trade Educators (NASBITE). She serves as a statewide Community College Academic Senate representative to the California Academic Partnership Program.

Grant is also a partner with Tustin-based RAM International Consulting Group providing counsel to companies with import and export opportunities requiring market research and in-house training. The group specializes in strategic planning, market entry planning, product development and adaptation, international market regulations, and distribution opportunities. Previously, she served as director of export sales for Pacific World Corporation and international coordinator for Cosmar Corporation. She earned a B.A. in international relations and business administration from the University of San Diego and an M.B.A. in international business from Claremont Graduate School.

Valentin, a SAC alumnus and Orange resident, became chief of police for the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) in 2009. With 22 years of experience with the City of Santa Ana Police Department, he most recently served as a Santa Ana Police Commander. Other assignments over the course of his career include Police Lieutenant in Field Operations, Westend Division Commander, Chairman of the Shooting Review Board, Commander of the Equestrian Unit, and Gang Detail Investigator among others. He has also served as an instructor for Santa Ana College in the Orange County Sheriff’s Academy Advanced Officer Training Program.

He received an associate degree in liberal studies and an associate degree in criminal justice from Santa Ana College. In 2008, he was honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award by the Community College League of California. Valentin was also inducted into the SAC Alumni Hall of Fame in 2008. Under Valentin, the SAUSD Police Department has received several notable awards for successful organizational transformation. He earned a B.A. in sociology and a Master of Public Administration from California State University, Fullerton. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Valentin has served on the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Ana since 2008. He is also an active member of “Fight Crime: Invest in Kids,” a nationwide crime prevention organization.

Walsh, a Seal Beach resident, is chief executive officer (CEO) of Fountain Valley Regional Hospital (FVRH) where she has served since 2009. As CEO, she oversees strategic, operational and clinical activities for the 400-bed acute care hospital. She is an experienced hospital leader who began her career as a nurse. Prior to joining FVRH, Walsh served as CEO of University of Southern California (USC) University Hospital and USC Norris Cancer Center in Los Angeles.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the California State University and a master’s degree in nursing from Azusa Pacific University. She serves on the boards of the Hospital Association of Southern California, Specialty Surgery Center, Pacific Endoscopy, and the Fountain Valley Regional Hospital Foundation.

The Santa Ana College Foundation is committed to ensuring that no student is denied educational opportunities due to financial constraints. The foundation strives to maintain, expand and enhance the educational opportunities at Santa Ana College and to link community organizations, businesses, funding sources, alumni and staff preserving “A History of Success, A Future of Promise.” For more information on sponsorship opportunities, please contact the SAC Foundation at (714) 564-6091 or foundation@sac.edu.

About Santa Ana College

Santa Ana College (SAC), which will turn 100 years old in 2015, serves about 18,000 students each semester at its main campus in Santa Ana. The college prepares students for transfer to four-year institutions, provides invaluable workforce training, and customized training for business and industry. In addition, another 13,000 students are served through the college’s School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center. Ranked as one of the nation’s top two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students, the college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses, firefighters, law enforcement and other medical personnel. SAC is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District. Visit www.sac.edu to learn more.

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