Alumni: Past Honorees

Amy Valenzuela-Mier is descended from the Tongva, Yaqui, Mexican and Irish people. She grew up with a strong connection to the land, hearing stories of her family’s deep Californio roots, and farming with her maternal grandfather. She attended LBCC and earned a full scholarship to Reed College, later also earning a Master’s degree in Public Health from UCLA. Early experiences stoked a strong social and environmental justice impulse, fed at each school she attended.

Cynthia Terry is a longtime resident and community volunteer in Long Beach. She obtained her associate degree from LBCC in 1968. She went on to receive a bachelor’s degree from CSULB, and a master’s degree in School Management and Administration from Pepperdine University. Terry is a retired high school principal from the Long Beach Unified School District where she served 38 years. After retirement she became a certified educational leadership coach with the Los Angeles Office of Education, providing personalized support to secondary-level aspiring administrators.

John Malveaux became a partner in the concert company World Wide Production in 1967 ad steered the first Motown Review on the west coast, featuring Marvin Gaye, Four Tops, Etta James, and Martha & the Vandellas to the Long Beach Area in 1968. Before moving to Long Beach in 1955, John played French horn in a high school band and orchestra.

caryn desai is the artistic director of the international City Theatre. She earned an AA in acting from LBCC, BA from CSULB in acting and directing, MFA in directing from UC Irvine, and a certificate from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London. She also has certificates in Arts Administration, Marketing, and Fundraising. With a full Fellowship, she completed an Executive Program at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business as one of 50 arts leaders in the nation selected for the initial program.

Roger has been a City Manager for the cities of Seaside, CA; Placentia, CA; Clifton, NJ; and Meriden, CT. While working full-time in the Office of the City Manager for the City of Oakland, CA he attended school in the evening to earn his Ph.D. He taught graduate seminars at leading universities including the University of California, California State University, Golden Gate University, Rutgers University, Farleigh Dickinson University, University of Connecticut, and the University of New Haven. He wrote, edited, and was a contributing author to nearly 50 books dealing with cities.

Chuck is the Community Services Manager for the City of Lakewood, where he has worked for the past 39 years. In 1992, he organized Lakewood’s first Special Olympics program and, in 1995, established the city’s first Teen Program at the Lakewood Youth Center. In 2000, he was honored as the Special Olympics Volunteer Coach of the Year for Southern California. In 2018, Chuck coached the Lakewood Dirtbags to a silver medal in the Special Olympics USA Games Softball Tournament.

Dee served as the City Councilman of the Sixth District for thirteen years. He was elected in 2007 in a special election and later re-elected to office in 2008 and 2012. Dee won his third term as a write-in candidate in the 2016 primary election and served until 2020. He has lived in the Central Long Beach area since the age of 5 and is well known throughout the district he so lovingly represents and calls home.

John says he sleeps in Fountain Valley but lives in Long Beach.  He has dedicated his entire career to bettering LBCC and Long Beach. He currently serves on Meals on Wheels, LBS Financial Credit Union, LBCC Foundation Board of Governors, Grand Prix Foundation, Steel Magnolias, American Legion, and Long Beach POA.  John was awarded LBCC Distinguished Alumni, Alumni of the Decade (60’s), Outstanding Colleague (2000), National Institute for Staff & Organizational Development, Administrative Leadership Excellence Award.