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Informing voters about who is the most qualified candidate to guide COD through its current crisis is crucial to the success of the students who rely on this important educational institution.
When ran properly, COD literally changes the lives of its students and their families. No matter what your skills are or abilities, you can help this campaign!

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Mary Jane Sanchez

for

College of the Desert Board – Area 2

Teacher / Healthcare Professional / Former College of the Desert (COD) Trustee

Build the COD Student Promise

NOW!

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MJS with Students UP

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

Mary Jane brings exceptional academic credentials to the board:

Master of Arts in International Affairs (M.A.)
Golden Gate University

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
University of California, Berkeley

Certificate of Executive Education in Public Policy
University of Southern California

Certificate for Non-Profit Organizational Management
Notre Dame University

PROVEN LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE:

COD COLLEGE TRUSTEE & COMMUNITY LEADER:

Mary Jane Sanchez honorably served as a College of the Desert (C.O.D.) Board of Trustee from 2012 to 2020. Furthermore, she became the first Latina in the college’s history to chair the board, an honor that received a unanimous vote by her fellow trustees.

In addition, Mary Jane was elected by her statewide peers to serve as an officer on the California Community College Trustees (CCCT) Board. The CCCT Board takes positions on educational policy issues that come before the California Community Colleges Board of Governors and the California State Legislature.

mj and students
Mary Jane Sanchez purple dress

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

MARY JANE’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS AS A COD TRUSTEE (2012-2020)

Advocated for a Voter Approved $578 Million Education Bond to build a West Valley Campus and Double the Size of the East Valley Campus in Indio
Free COD Tuition to All Coachella Valley High School Graduates
Brought COD Classrooms to Desert Hot Springs
Free Bus Fare for All C.O.D. Students
Food Bank for All C.O.D. Food Insecure Students
Opened the East Valley Campus in Indio
Voted to Double the Size of the East Valley Campus in Indio
Restoration of the Hilb Library – Palm Desert Campus
New Agriculture Science, Early Childhood Education, Gymnasium and Stagecraft Buildings
Big Horn Golf Club Charities Veterans Resource Center
Berger Faculty Innovation Center
Dreamers Resource Center
Gender and Sexual Diversity Pride Center
Black Student Success Center
Foster Youth Center
Water Conservation through Water Bottle Stations
Voted to Collaborate with the California Indian Nations College at C.O.D.

Top 3 Issues

1.  Build the West Valley Campus

As a former C.O.D. trustee, I helped pass a $578 million education bond (Measure CC, 2016) to improve C.O.D. facilities across the valley including doubling the size of the East Valley Campus in Indio and creating a Child Development Center. However, C.O.D. students who live or work on the West side of the valley, have been waiting for nearly 20 years for a West Valley Campus that is close in proximity to them. Desert Hot Springs students who travel by bus, must endure a 1.5 hour bus ride each way to the Main C.O.D. Campus in Palm Desert. That’s unacceptable!

More than $400 million has been set aside to build the West Valley Campus for Desert Hot Springs, Thousand Palms, Cathedral City, and Palm Springs students and workers. However, current C.O.D. Trustee Bea Gonzalez has voted (No) at almost every board meeting against the West Valley Campus thereby attempting to further delay its construction. Bea Gonzalez recommends using these education bond dollars to redevelop downtowns, a use not permitted by law, as pointed out by the Desert Sun Editorial Board on March 27, 2022. 

Our students deserve better than Bea Gonzalez! They deserve access to an education now.

Bea Votes NO on Students, I’ll Vote YES!

COD West Valley Campus Photo 1

2.  Maintain Free Public Transportation to C.O.D. Students

Many COD students rely on public transportation to get to and from the classroom. As a former trustee, I voted to partner with Sunline Transit to provide C.O.D. students with free bus fares to get to and from home, work, and school.  This unique program is called the “Haul Pass” for all C.O.D. students.

On September 15, 2023, Trustee Bea Gonzalez voted to table a resolution that would provide free transportation from Desert Hot Springs to the new West Valley Campus when officially opened. 

Bea Votes NO on Students, I’ll Vote YES!

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3.  Celebrate Our Diverse Students – So They Can Thrive

COD students come from every background imaginable. C.O.D. educates everyone regardless of their age, race, gender, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, economic status, nationality or ethnic origin. When our students succeed, we as a society succeed!

As a former COD trustee, I played an integral role in establishing a Food Bank for food-insecure students, enhanced the Veterans Resource Center, and helped establish the Dreamers Resource Center, Gender and Sexual Diversity Pride Center, Black Student Success Center, Foster Youth Center and the Berger Faculty Innovation Center at C.O.D. Additionally, I voted for California Indian Nations College to begin its process of full accreditation through a collaboration with C.O.D. I led the charge for water bottle stations throughout COD in order to conserve water and protect our planet from single-use plastic bottles.

  • Bea voted ‘No’ 18 times and counting against building the West Valley Campus
  • Bea voted ‘No’ on the “One Coachella Valley” mentor and scholarship program for male Latino students – August 18, 2023
  • Bea voted ‘No’ for furniture for the Black Student Success Center – August 18, 2023
  • Bea voted ‘No’ on a program to streamline student loan processing – August 18, 2023
  • Bea voted ‘No’ for a program with Jewish Family Services to provide housing assistance for C.O.D. students who are housing insecure or homeless – August 18, 2023
  • Bea voted ‘No’ on the Visit Greater Palm Springs Hospitality Training Program – August 18, 2023
  • Bea voted ‘No’ to install the remaining furniture at the Indio Campus Expansion, Building B – April 19, 2024
  • Bea voted ‘No’ on Pollock Theater Upgrades – April 19, 2024
  • Bea voted ‘No’ on laboratory material upgrades for the Nursing Program – April 19, 2024
  • Bea voted ‘No’ on upgrading the Student Life Conference Room – April 19, 2024
  • Bea voted ‘No’ on Computer Network Infrastructure upgrades – April 19, 2024
    Bea Votes ‘NO’ on Students, Mary Jane Will Vote ‘YES!’
Group of college students on campus

Bea Gonzalez Cannot Be Trusted with Public Funds:

  • Costly Lawsuit by College of the Desert (COD) Employee Against Bea Gonzalez Totaling a $597,000 Settlement.
  • Millions of Dollars Wasted on Construction Delays of West Valley Campus & Roadrunner Motors as Bea Gonzalez Advocated to Revitalize Downtowns Instead.
  • Voted for an Excessive 12% Annual Raise and an Illegal 18-month Golden Parachute Buyout for Former COD President Martha Garcia – ALL at Taxpayers’ Expense
  • Poor Leadership Caused Declining Enrollments at COD Losing Millions in State Funding
  • At CVUSD, Bea Gonzalez Purchased Thousands of Tickets for Ice Hockey Games and Roller Coaster Rides Costing Taxpayers MORE than $530,000!

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Every Dollar Helps Get Voters Informed!

Your financial support will help us inform voters about the importance of this political race, as the future educational opportunities that our students will have in the Coachella Valley depends on the outcome of this election.

Please give online by clicking on the “Donate” button
or  send a contribution via mail to:

THE COMMITTEE TO ELECT MARY JANE SANCHEZ
FOR BOARD OF TRUSTEE COLLEGE OF THE DESERT 2024

PO BOX 1126

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CA 92240
COMMITTEE # 1465796

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It takes a village to bring about change!

Informing voters about who is the most qualified candidate to guide COD through its current crisis is crucial to the success of the students who rely on this important educational institution.

When run properly, COD literally changes the lives of its students and their families. Therefore, no matter what your skills or abilities are, you can help this campaign succeed!

TESTIMONIALS

  • Raul Ruiz
    Mary Jane’s leadership on the COD Board of Trustees for 8 years created a legacy of reducing tuition costs, free public transportation for all COD students to and from classes and work, and record-breaking COD graduation rates. Returning her to the board of trustees will guarantee students greater access to a higher education, eliminate the barriers students encounter in their pursuit of earning a college degree, and make COD more affordable for local families.
    Raul Ruiz, M.D.
    U.S. Representative
  • Becky Broughton
    Having served with Mary Jane on the COD Board of Trustees, I know that she always focused on the needs of the students. I believe that’s the primary job of a trustee, making policy and allocating resources to support student success, and Mary Jane epitomizes that role.
    Becky Broughton
    Former COD Board of Trustee, who currently serves as President of the Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District Board

SUPPORTERS

College of the Desert Officials and Faculty

  • College of the Desert Trustee Joel Kinnamon
  • College of the Desert Trustee Ron Oden
  • College of the Desert Trustee Bonnie Stefan
  • Former College of the Desert Trustee Rebecca Broughton
  • Former College of the Desert Trustee Fred Jandt
  • Former College of the Desert Trustee Michael O’Neill
  • Former College of the Desert Student Trustee Arturo Delgado
  • College of the Desert Professor Joana Ciurash
  • College of the Desert Professor Laura Graff
  • College of the Desert Citizens’ Oversight Committee Member Bruce Bauer
  • EOPS/CARE Specialist Kelly Blair

Business Leaders

  • Fred Bell, Nobell Energy Solutions
  • Jerry Keller, Lulu’s California Bistro
  • Harold Matzner, CBA Industries Inc.
  • Fred Noble, Wintec Energy
  • William “Bill” Senso, President, Thousand Palms Chamber of Commerce

Community / Party Leaders

  • California Democratic Council President Norma Alcala
  • California Democratic Party Vice Chair David Campos
  • California Democratic Party Regional Director Joseph Salas
  • California Chicano Latino Caucus (California Democratic Party) Chair Carlos Alcala
  • Desert Hot Springs Senior Advocate Sal Guzman
  • Desert Hot Springs Women’s Club Board Member Shirley Bales
  • Desert Hot Springs Women’s Club Board Member Cheryl Gelling-Nardell
  • Riverside County Democratic Party Secretary Lanny Swerdlow
  • Sun City Shadow Hills Tarilyn Beer
  • Sun City Shadow Hills Dems Vice President of Political Action Judy Wilson

Organizations

  • California Democratic Council
  • Desert Hot Springs Dems Club
  • Desert Stonewall Democrats
  • Sierra Club

Government Officials

  • U.S. Representative Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25)
  • California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond
  • California State Treasurer Fiona Ma
  • Banning City Councilmember Colleen Wallace
  • Cathedral City Mayor Mark Carnevale
  • Cathedral City Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Ross
  • Cathedral City Councilmember Raymond Gregory
  • Cathedral City Councilmember Ernesto Gutierrez
  • Former Cathedral City Councilmember Shelley Kaplan
  • Cathedral City Parks & Community Events Commissioner Antonio Baciu
  • Coachella City Councilmember Frank Figueroa
  • Former Coachella City Councilmember Megan Beaman Jacinto
  • CVUSD School Trustee Trinidad Arredondo
  • Desert Healthcare District Director Carole Rogers
  • Desert Healthcare District Director Les Zendle
  • Desert Water Agency Director Kristin Bloomer
  • Desert Water Agency Director Steve Grasha
  • Indio Mayor Lupe Ramos Amith
  • Indio Mayor Pro Tem Glenn Miller
  • Indio Councilmember Waymond Fermon
  • Indio Councilmember Elaine Holmes
  • Former Indio Councilmember Sam Torres
  • Indio Planning Commissioner Jackie Lopez
  • Palm Springs Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein
  • Palm Springs Mayor Pro Tem Ron deHarte
  • Palm Springs City Councilmember Lisa Middleton
  • Former Palm Springs City Councilmember Ginny Foat
  • Former Palm Spring City Councilmember Geoff Kors
  • Palm Springs Unified School Board Member Sergio Espericueta
  • Former Palm Spring School Board Member James Williamson
  • Rialto City Councilmember Rafael Trujillo
  • Riverside Unified School District President Dr. Angelo Farooq
  • San Gorgonio Healthcare District Lanny Swerdlow
  • Southern Coachella Valley Community Services District Board President Rebecca Broughton
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CONTACT US

About Mary Jane

Teacher, Healthcare Professional, Former COD Trustee

A daughter of immigrants and a first-generation college graduate, Mary Jane Sanchez served honorably as a College of the Desert (C.O.D.) Trustee from 2012 to 2020. She made history by becoming the first Latina chair of the Board of Trustees at C.O.D. and achieving numerous successes by placing the needs of students first. Those achievements included free tuition to all high school graduating students in the Coachella Valley, free bus passes for all C.O.D. students to get to and from work and school, new C.O.D. classrooms in Desert Hot Springs, and the new C.O.D. East Valley Campus in Indio.

Mary Jane received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from Golden Gate University. She furthered her professional learning by being certified in Executive Education in Public Policy at the University of Southern California and in Non-Profit Organizational Management at Notre Dame University. For more than twenty years, Mary Jane has taught K-12, English as a Second Language, and Business and Economics at multiple colleges and universities, such as College of the Desert, UCLA Extension, and Santa Monica College. Her career expands several decades with non-profit work, community outreach, coalition building, marketing, and more recently, as a healthcare professional helping homebound seniors.

As a former COD trustee, Mary Jane advocated for and helped pass a voter-approved $578 million college education bond that will be utilized to build a West Valley Campus for students and workers primarily in Desert Hot Springs, Thousand Palms, Cathedral City, and Palm Springs.  Plus, she voted to double the size of COD’s East Valley Campus in Indio that will provide additional classrooms and an early childhood development center, so parents have the opportunity to go to college, too. She played an integral role in establishing a Food Bank for food-insecure students, enhanced the Veterans Resource Center, and helped establish the Dreamers Resource Center, Gender and Sexual Diversity Pride Center, Black Student Success Center, Foster Youth Center, and the Berger Faculty Innovation Center at C.O.D. Mary Jane voted for California Indian Nations College to begin its process of full accreditation through a collaboration with C.O.D. She also led the charge for water bottle stations throughout COD in order to conserve water and protect our planet from single-use plastic bottles.

During Mary Jane’s tenure on C.O.D.’s Board of Trustees, the college became the fastest-growing community college in California, had record-breaking graduation rates, and earned national and state awards and nominations for academic excellence, including the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and the winner of the prestigious Bellwether Award. The state chancellor for California’s community colleges honored C.O.D. for its efforts in providing Outstanding Student Success.

Mary Jane has received a long list of personal accolades over her career including Citizen of Achievement from the League of Women Voters, Community Advocate Award by the National Latina Business Women’s Association, Woman of Distinction by the California State Assembly, Advocate for Women’s Equality Award by the California State Senate, and Person of Distinction by Veterans for Peace, just to name a few.  Additionally, she has been a member of the American Association of University Women, multiple chambers of commerce, a Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International, and former president of LULAC Inland Empire.

Both being animal lovers, Mary Jane and her husband, Robert, share their home with five rescue pets – three dogs and two cats.

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