Staff Spotlight

 

 

Eduardo Gonzalez joined the Fresno State Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED) in 2011 as a program manager. In his role as Program Manager, Eduardo provided support in planning, developing and facilitating grant funded projects for OCED and its various collaboratives. Eduardo was instrumental in helping OCED earn the national Excellence in Community-Connected Campus Award for its San Joaquin Valley Rural Development Center. In early 2018 Eduardo was named Director of the San Joaquin Valley Rural Development Center. 

Eduardo has many years’ experience implementing OCED activities and programs that provide  solutions for public agencies in underserved communities by connecting them with experts who can provide specialized consulting to which they would otherwise not have access. Target areas include business services, clean energy, economic development, finance, grant writing, health and human services, housing, nonprofit capacity, planning, project design and construction, trade development, transportation, and water infrastructure.

Eduardo manages the San Joaquin Valley Regional Broadband Consortium, an initiative of the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley. Eduardo manages all aspects of the SJV Regional Broadband Consortium related to accelerating the deployment, accessibility and adoption of broadband within the San Joaquin Valley.  Eduardo also helps identify, write and manage grant opportunities for various collaborative partners and stakeholders while aligning grant expectations and deliverables.
 
Prior to joining the OCED, Eduardo served over ten years in a variety of community-focused roles in the Valley. As Executive Director for Youth Centers of America (YCA), Eduardo provided vision and leadership to YCA’s programming, to staff and adult education, leadership and prevention projects/programs. He also oversaw the implementation of social justice and social change advocacy projects throughout rural communities in the San Joaquin Valley.
 
Eduardo is a role model for many Dreamers, he was born in Mexico City, Mexico and came to the United States at age 6, just like many of his peers.  Eduardo grew up in the San Joaquin Valley, attended rural schools and graduated from Brown University.
 
 
 
What is your favorite Movie?

My favorite movie is Como Agua Para Chocolate, book written by Laura Esquivel
 
What is your favorite book?

Don Quijote by Miguel de Cervantes.  I've read the book in Spanish and Italian. 
 
How do you motivate people to get involve as leaders in their rural communities? 

I begin conversations with community members in rural areas with a book call "Click, Clack, Moo ...Cows that Type" by Doreen Cronin.