Classified Employee of the Year

Kemberly (Kem) Quiroz

Classified

Kemberly (Kem) serves as a Student Services Technician at the Long Beach City College (LBCC) Welcome Center, which serves as a first stop for any new student to our campus. In this role, Kem regularly interfaces with individuals from the general public who want to attend college

Kem’s approach to the work comes from a genuine place of support with student success in mind. Whether Kem is working the front desk, answering phones, or taking a walk during her break, if she sees a student she can offer support to, the student becomes the priority. Kem routinely goes above and beyond the call of duty to ensure service to students.

Beyond providing students with the information they need, Kem is also committed to attending to their basic needs. For example, while the college has a robust Basic Needs Center which she works closely with, she went out of her way to create “welcome bags” for housing insecure students who come through the Welcome Center. The bags include a blanket, hygiene products, and some dry food. From her perspective, this bag is designed to provide basic needs to students who may visit the Welcome Center during the hours when the Basic Needs Center may be closed. While it is not a part of Kem’s job to do this, she is fully invested in providing timely and holistic care and support to students. This is an embodiment of equity in support. 

Where Kem really stands apart from others in going the “extra step” is in her generosity toward others. Kem is kind which makes staff feel safe, heard, and supported. She expresses gratitude and appreciation for the work that staff do. She is thoughtful about acknowledging accomplishments, and celebrating special occasions, and is mindful of doing little things that make people feel very important and integral to an operation. Staff enjoy coming to work every day because of the type of environment that she nurtures in the office. Kem has a great gift of building people up and she extends this gift to staff and students. 

Starla Thomas

Classified

Starla Thomas has served students at Long Beach City College (LBCC) for the past five years as a career and technical education coordinator. In her role, she has been instrumental in implementing the Strong Workforce Grant by recruiting career education faculty to apply for awards to improve student success rates. Through her leadership, LBCC faculty are developing career education programs to close equity gaps among traditionally underrepresented students. In addition, LBCC has also been able to implement a Career Technical Education Community model with goals to support the college’s Black and African American students become successful in their pursuit of desired career pathways. Thomas also volunteers with nonprofit organizations to provide free counseling to low-income individuals who cannot afford, or qualify for, free medical assistance.

Dario De Santiago

Classified

Dario De Santiago serves as a Senior Multimedia Services Technician.

From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift from in-person learning to full- remote, on-line classrooms, Dario De Santiago has been working behind the scenes to help ensure students have the ability to continue learning even when they did not have access to on-campus lab environments. As a member of Long Beach City College’s Academic Computing and Multimedia Services team, Dario helped design, implement, and test virtual desktop interface (VDI) environments that gave students access to powerful virtual systems using a web browser. Now students without access to high-end personal computers can still access the same systems available in computer labs from devices such as Chrome book laptops or tablets.

Dario also helped develop the virtual processes to continue our Board meetings while maintaining compliance with the Brown Act. He performed the duties of host and producer of LBCC’s Board of Trustees and Personnel Commission meetings, often working late into the evening to ensure all of the remotely located participants were able to attend without issues.

Linda Olmos

Classified

Linda Olmos is an Enrollment Specialist for the Student Support Services Program.

As a specialist in the Student Equity Office, Linda plays an instrumental role in the Long Beach City College Justice Scholars Program for the formerly incarcerated and students impacted by the criminal justice system. She also initiated a partnership with OC RESPITE to provide professional development opportunities, free of cost, to college staff and faculty on the importance of creating trauma-informed environments.

Linda also created “Chisme in the Kitchen,” a virtual cooking demonstration that shows students how to make healthy meals from the groceries they receive through the College’s Grab-N-Go food pantry. She demonstrates leadership and commitment aligned with the essential needs of many of Long Beach City College’s most impacted student populations.

Aaron Turner

Classified

Aaron Turner serves as a Custodian in our Facilities, Maintenance Operations.

Aaron Turner exemplifies Long Beach City College’s mission to support diverse communities and put students first, all while encouraging those around him to keep a positive attitude. His co-workers see him as a go-to person on campus.

As a member of Long Beach City College’s Classified Senate, Turner has served on the Faculty and Staff Diversity Committee and the district’s Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee, among others. But his leadership goes well beyond campus.

Mr. Turner was integral in starting an African-American Fathers group in Long Beach fostering relationships with youth and young adults in an effort to keep them on track, ensuring that they stay in school, further their education, and work toward a rewarding future. On weekends, Aaron spends much of his time to beautifying his neighborhood, contributing to a sense of community pride and safety.

Sundee Dominguez 

Classified

Sundee Dominguez serves as the Math Lab Coordinator in the Mathematics Success Center.

Ms. Dominguez embodies the California Community College mission: she is a member of the coordination team and serves as the classified Tri-Chair of the school-wide Guided Pathways task force; is a member of the Classified Senate; and serves on the Classified Union Executive Board. An active community member, she works closely with LBUSD programs, particularly with local high school athletics.

As her supervisor, Associate Dean Moises Gutierrez observes, “Sundee is a passionate and caring life-long educator that inspires colleagues around her. From teaching young adults in local middle and high schools, to coordinating resources for adult learners in LBCC’s Math Success Center, and leading efforts like Guided Pathways, she works tirelessly to support our students and their future.” 

After graduating from Long Beach Poly High School, she earned an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Studies from LBCC, and her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Studies, with an Emphasis in Mathematics, as well as two teaching credentials, from CSULB.

Our Classified Employee of the Year, Sundee Dominguez, truly represents the values of hard work, education, and community leadership.