Dr. Gilbert ContrerasThe San Bernardino Community College District is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Gilbert J. Contreras as the next president of San Bernardino Valley College. This appointment, made by Chancellor Diana Z. Rodriguez and confirmed by the SBCCD Board of Trustees on Thursday, May 9, follows a national search involving students, faculty, classified professionals, administrators, alumni, and community stakeholders. Dr. Contreras steps into his new role on July 1, taking the helm of the college as it nears its 100th anniversary, a major milestone for the institution.

Dr. Contreras, who holds a Ph.D. from UCLA in Urban Planning, a Masters in City Planning from MIT, and a B.A. from UC Berkeley, has over 17 years of leadership experience in California’s community colleges. He served as Vice President of Student Services and Interim President at Fullerton College. He also brings a strong connection to the local higher education landscape, having taught at CSU San Bernardino, where he instructed a doctoral course on governance and policy.

He served as an Instructor and Teaching Fellow at UCLA in the Department of Chicana/o Studies and led the first-ever Chicana/o Studies module at MIT. His scholarly work has contributed to prominent publications and conferences with an emphasis on community colleges.