Johnny Garcia Vasquez was appointed to the Commission on November 21, 2011 and re-appointed on July 26, 2012.
Commissioner Garcia Vasquez grew up in Oxnard, CA and is the first in his family to attend a four-year university.
He has amply demonstrated his work ethic and leadership abilities on many fronts. He has been an exemplary leader at Hueneme High School, Oxnard College, the University of California Berkeley, as well as in his community, and has taken initiative in many matters far beyond the usual call of duty.
While attending Hueneme High School, he served as the 2006-2007 President of the Oxnard District Council and the Associated Student Body. At the same time participating in the Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) as the 2006-2007 unit Commanding Officer and was honored by the Navy League of the United States Channel Island Council as the 2006 Outstanding NJROTC Cadet.
After graduating from High School, he worked in the Ventura District Office of former California State Assembly Member Pedro Nava as a Legislative Intern from 2007-2008. There he had the opportunity to research state legislation and the budget while also serving as a liaison between constituents, Assembly member, and state agencies.
During his time at Oxnard College, he distinguished himself by active participation and advocating for students in numerous shared governance committees while also serving as Fall 2008 Vice President and Spring 2009 President of the Associated Student Government, and 2008-2009 Voting Delegate to the Student Senate of the California Community Colleges Region 6. The shared governance committees he served on included the Ventura County Community College District Chancellor’s Consultation Council, College Dean of Student Services Hiring Committee, College Accreditation Standard Committee, College Vice-President of Student Services Hiring Committee, Student Success Committee, Youth Empowerment Conference Planning Committee, Multicultural Day Conference Planning Committee, and the Campus Use Development and Safety Committee. The Oxnard College Foundation honored him with the Oxnard College 2008-2009 Frank Gilbert Award for Excellence in Performance by a Student. From 2009-2010 he worked for Oxnard College Outreach and Recruitment as a student ambassador.
After being accepted to the University of California at Berkeley, he continued his involvement and served on the 2010-2011 Board of Directors of the University of California Student Association and as a State Legislative Liaison and Direct Action Organizer in the office of External Affairs Vice President for the Associated Students of the University of California (ASUC). In 2011, he worked as a Community Outreach Program Assistant for the Health Initiative of the Americas and from 2011-2012 he worked as a Student Assistant at Thelton E. Henderson Center for Social Justice at UC Berkeley School of Law. In the spring of 2013, he interned in the Oakland District office of Congresswoman Barbara Lee (CA-13).
Furthermore, Mr. Garcia Vasquez has volunteered in many local causes in Oxnard including serving as a Little League Assistant Coach, and as an activist with Save the Whales, Amnesty International, the American Cancer Society, El Concilio del Condado de Ventura Breakthrough Youth for Success, and the Resourceful Youth Awareness Coalition for Teens. In 2008, the Ventura County Star newspaper highlighted him in the Young Leaders series for his active leadership roles at Hueneme High School, Oxnard College, and his community.
Currently, he is pursuing an Ethnic Studies Bachelor of Arts degree with a minor in Chicano Studies from University of California at Berkeley.
