Robert is a son of immigrants, educator, and public servant who has spent his life making excellence in education his mission. His biggest influences have been his parents, who instilled a work ethic to excel in school and in life. Born to his mother, age 17, and his father who was denied an education past third grade, he thrived because of the sacrifices his working-class parents made to prioritize education. At 17, Robert became the first in his family to graduate high school.
Robert continued his education earning his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and master’s degree in public policy from the University of Southern California. Having volunteered to mentor high school students from schools in Los Angeles challenged with low educational outcomes, he was driven to become a teacher. In his 20 years as an educator, as a math and science classroom teacher and current school administrator, he has led schools through transformational change and success.
In 2016, Robert was first elected to the Etiwanda School District Board of Trustees and re-elected in 2020 with nearly 70% of the vote. He served as Board President and led the school district through the pandemic while maintaining national and local recognition. During his tenure on the school board, his school district earned the California Exemplary District Award twice, as well as National Blue Ribbon School status for five schools.
Robert is passionate about education and its role in strengthening communities. It is for that reason that Robert was drawn to serve. Robert is a Democrat running for State Assembly to continue his mission for excellence, prioritizing the needs of all in the Inland Empire. He is backed by Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes and other community leaders throughout the district. He will fight to ensure safe neighborhoods, fully fund our schools, invest in homelessness reduction, create good-paying job opportunities while building a sustainable economy, and supporting our small businesses across the Inland Empire.
Robert and his wife, Samantha, and their three children live in Rancho Cucamonga.
