Catalina Cifuentes is an educator who has demonstrated a gift for counseling and advocacy on behalf of all students. 

In her former position as lead counselor at Santiago High School, Corona- Norco Unified School District, Catalina worked with the counseling team to design a successful guidance program which led to Riverside County as well as California Department of Education recognitions for exemplary counseling practices. She worked with her administrative team and staff to transform the school by raising the academic rigor and expectations from students resulting in the highest graduation rate and second highest A-G completion rate in Riverside, Inyo, Mono and San Bernardino County.

Catalina now shares those best counseling practices across Riverside County as the Executive Director of College and Career Readiness in the Riverside County Office of Education. Catalina focuses her work on the Riverside County Office of Education’s Pledge: “All students will graduate from high school well prepared for college or the workforce.” She is also a former secondary Language Arts teacher and has extensive experience working with English Learner programs.

She was selected in November 2014 as a speaker for the College Opportunity White House Convening- Strengthening School Counseling and College Advising.  As a former Advancement Via Individual Determination student and first-generation college graduate, Catalina has a passion for this work and it is contagious.

CA Secondary Schools Representative
Governor Appointee