David Vela

Trustee, Los Angeles Community College District

Mr. David Vela serves as a Trustee for the Los Angeles Community College District, the largest community college system in the country, representing 300,000 students at Los Angeles City College, East LA College, Harbor College, Mission College, Pierce College, Southwest College, LA Trade-Tech College, Valley College, and West LA College. He currently serves as Chair of the LACCD Public Affairs and Legislative Committee as well as the Ad Hoc Committee on Workforce Development.

Trustee Vela also served as Chair of the facilities committee from 2022 to 2024 where he oversaw the 5 billion dollar bond measure passed in 2022, Measure LA. In this role, he ensured that the Build-LACCD program continued to create jobs and prioritized sustainability efforts within the construction program. Additionally, Mr. Vela has led efforts to ensure that the District meets its annual bond dollars expenditure goals while providing massive oversight. He is also streamlining procurement mechanisms to increase the participation of LSEDVB businesses.

Throughout his tenure as Trustee, David Vela has advocated for a second year of free tuition, student and workforce housing, job training, job creation, and completion of student certificates, transferring, and A.A degrees. Under his leadership, there has been an increase in baccalaureate degrees and guaranteed admissions programs to top universities.

As Chair of the Public Affairs and Legislative Committee, Mr. Vela is working on state laws related to college affordability, proper faculty ratios, and financial aid expansion, including Cal Grant expansion and shorter Pell Grant terms to match new burgeoning careers. He secured permanent state funding for LGBTQ+ centers at each of the nine colleges. Additionally, Trustee Vela has ensured the creation of Basic Needs centers at each college, which provide students with access to interim housing and food vouchers among other services.

Historically, David Vela has more than 20 years of experience in the public sector. In 2002, he served as Senior Legislative Assistant to former Assemblymember Jackie Goldberg, handling Labor, Transportation, and Economic Development. He also served as Senior Advisor to the Employment Development Department under former Governor Gray Davis's administration. 

After his time in Sacramento, David spent ten years as a Senior Deputy to Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina. In this capacity, he oversaw two billion dollars in capital infrastructure improvements in Unincorporated East Los Angeles. These projects included the East Los Angeles Civic Center, the Eastside Gold Line, and the Whittier Boulevard Streetscape project.

From 2007-2015, David served on the Montebello Unified School District (MUSD) Board of Education. He implemented a near-perfect attendance program, which improved the District's Average Daily Attendance to over 96%. He contributed to increased API and AYP scores as well as a 94% district graduation rate. Furthermore, Mr. Vela implemented College Bound Today, a college preparatory program that matches mentors with high school sophomores to guide them through the college application process, and championed dual enrollment for students at East Los Angeles College. He has supported linked learning and spearheaded one of the few pathways high schools in the United States, the Applied Technology Center. His tenure on the Board also included the successful passage of the first Project Labor Agreement (PLA) in MUSD history for an anticipated $600 million school bond to modernize classrooms and schools for the 21st century.

Later he joined the firm of Lee Andrews Group in Los Angeles, California. As Senior Vice President of External Affairs, he was responsible for identifying business development opportunities, client retention, communication with elected officials, and project management. Additionally, he led public outreach efforts on major construction projects and managed all government and community relations with local government agencies.

David also served as Communications Manager for the Los Angeles Community College District's Build-LACCD construction program, overseeing agenda creation, media relations, public affairs, and labor compliance. David Vela received his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy with concentrations in Economics and International Relations. He owns a Public Affairs company and lives in Montebello, CA.