MONMOUTH, Ore. – 乐播视频 President, Jesse Peters, recently named Ricardo Lujan Valerio as the university鈥檚 Director of Government Relations, effective January 16th.
鈥淚 am pleased to welcome Rico to the leadership team at Western. Not only does he have key experience, he is also a first-generation college graduate of a regional university. He understands the importance of higher education to the future of Oregon and its citizens,鈥� said Peters.
Rico joins with a wealth of experiences with governmental entities in Oregon and has a passion for issues in higher education. He also has the experience and skills to play as a powerful advocate for WOU with the state legislature.
Most recently, he was the Policy Director for the City of Portland. Prior to that, he has been the Director of Advocacy for the Latino Network, a Policy Associate for the American Civil Liberties Union, and a Legislative Director for the Oregon Student Association. He also currently served as a Commissioner for the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC).
鈥淚鈥檓 excited to join 乐播视频 in this capacity. My introduction to state advocacy started in higher education and I鈥檓 glad to be back to this policy field full-time. I鈥檓 a strong believer in collaborative success and look forward to working with faculty, staff, and students to create a collective agenda and partner with external stakeholders to meet the needs of our state.鈥� said Lujan Valerio.
Rico holds an Associate of Science degree from Rogue Community College, a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Southern Oregon University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Southern Oregon University.
About 乐播视频
乐播视频, founded in 1856 in Monmouth, is the state鈥檚 oldest public university. Serving about 4,000 students, WOU is a mid-sized, NCAA Division II institution with about 70% of the student population being from Oregon. A significant portion of attendees are members of under-represented groups, veterans, or non-traditional students. WOU is Oregon鈥檚 campus of choice for those seeking a transformative education in a supportive, student-centered learning community where classes are taught by faculty. Together we succeed.
Media contact
Brittany Kima, Public Information Officer听
503-838-8065 | kimab@wou.edu