Robert Meneses (President) has been employed with the County for over 20 years and throughout his career, he has held a variety of administrative and line positions. He has worked for the following departments: Chief Executive Office, Treasurer-Tax Collector, Community and Senior Services, and Alternate Public Defender. He is currently employed as the Administrative Deputy with the Alternate Public Defender where is responsible for personnel/payroll, fiscal/budget, accounting, procurement, data management, and facilities management. He received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Loyola Marymount University, a Master of Business Administration in Fiancé and Marketing from California State University of Los Angeles, and a Juris Doctorate from Whittier College of Law. He has been a Board member of LACHMA since 2007.
Jose R. Perez (Vice President) is the DPSS Administrative Deputy II. He currently oversees the Contract Development Division.
In his 30-year career in public service, he has had many challenging assignments, including executive leadership roles in finance and budget, program and policy, and contracting.
Jose received his M.A. in Public Policy from Claremont Graduate University and his B.A. in Psychology from Stanford University. He resides in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles with his wife Sonia and their three adult children.
Dr. Daniel Rojas currently serves as the Policy Manager for the Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors. In this capacity, he facilitates strategic planning, leads policy development, and oversees high-impact special projects under the direction of the Executive Officer, Chief Deputy, and Administrative Deputy. His portfolio includes advancing departmental modernization efforts, ensuring compliance with County Code and Board Policies, and aligning executive initiatives with the Board’s strategic priorities.
As a County employee, he has held a variety of assignments across County departments, including Public Health, Public Social Services and Mental Health. He received his Master of Public Administration and Doctorate of Public Administration degrees from California Baptist University in Riverside, CA. He holds a Professional in Human Resources certificate (PHR) and holds leadership and accounting certifications to enhance his abilities in future senior or executive-level positions. His passion for public service is only rivaled by his love for learning, family, and leadership.
As a public manager, his future goals are to initiate organizational shifts through means not limited to accountability, transparency, and legitimacy. His life mission is to demonstrate to others that if you try hard enough and do not give up, anything is possible. He is enthused about the County’s mission and prepared to continue to serve as a leader in times of crisis to meet the public’s needs. He is cognizant of his leadership role’s expectations and how it functions alongside organizations and, ultimately, how it plays in the larger society. He is a proud husband, father, leader, friend, coach, mentor, and advisor.
Molly Gonzalez has been employed with the County of Los Angeles for over 18 years. She currently serves as a special assistant to the County’s Director of Personnel. Ms. Gonzalez is known for her strong project management skills, ability to formulate strategic solutions to complex issues, and most importantly, dedication to public service. She grew up in East Los Angeles and was the first in her family to graduate from college. She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from California State University Los Angeles. Ms. Gonzalez is married to her high school sweetheart and a proud mother of two.
Luis Rodriguez is the son of Mexican immigrants, he was the first in his family to attend college and law school. He received his B.S. and J.D. from Santa Clara University and was honored with the Nobili Award during undergraduate studies. The Nobili Award is given to the male graduate judged outstanding in academic performance, personal character, school activities, and constructive contribution to the University.
Luis has shown his commitment to our community in and outside of the Office for decades. Since 1994, Luis has been an attorney with the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office. He has tried numerous misdemeanor and felony cases, served as Special Counsel to former Public Defender Michael P. Judge, and has risen to Division Chief over Juvenile Services.
In his role as Division Chief over Juvenile Services, Luis represents the Office on the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC) as well as serving as co-Chair of the Juvenile Justice Realignment Block Grant (JJRBG). Both committees are responsible for awarding millions of State dollars to entities providing critical resources to Justice involved youth. In order to advance the well-being of our young clients, Luis has forged strong relationship with both Institutional partners along with Community Based Organizations.
In 2013, Luis was sworn as President of the State Bar of California. He is the first and only Latino and first Public Defender elected President of the State Bar. Additionally, Luis has taken many leadership roles throughout the years as President of the L.A. County Mexican American Bar Assoc., President of the California La Raza Lawyers Assoc., and member of the California State Board of Education.
Luis has been honored by the Daily Journal, as one of the Top 100 Attorneys in California. He is the recipient of the “Stanley Mosk Defender of Justice Award” by the California Supreme Court’s Judicial Council, MABA’s “Attorney of the Year”, Santa Clara Univ.—school of Law’s “Social Justice & Human Rights Award” to name some.
In 2014, Luis was honored to be the Keynote Speaker at USC Gould School of Law’s Graduation. USC also named an Immigration Law fellowship in his honor in 2014. He served on former U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer’s Judicial Evaluation Committee for the Central District and now serves on Sen. Alex Padilla’s Judicial Evaluation Committee. Currently, he sits as Chair of the Board for KIPP-Southern CA, a public school charter educating mostly Latino/a and African-American students. He is the first Latino elected as Chair of any KIPP Board nationwide.
Erika Ortuño is a proud member of the Hispanic Managers Association and a committed public servant with almost 20 years of experience in county government. Throughout her career, she has served in a variety of roles within the Department of Public Social Services including, Eligibility Worker, Eligibility Supervisor, Management Analyst, and Internal Affairs Investigator.
She currently holds the position of Children Services Administrator I with the Department of Children and Family Services, Service Bureau 1’s Administrative Team.
Her leadership is grounded in a strong commitment to accountability, community impact, and public service.
As an immigrant and first-generation to receive her Master in Public Administration, she brings a deep understanding of the systemic barriers facing the Hispanic community. Her personal and professional experiences have shaped her passion for advocacy, equity, and empowerment. She has led numerous LACHMA scholarship initiatives and humanitarian projects supporting communities in Mexico, demonstrating her belief in service beyond borders.
She is pursuing her legal education at the University of La Verne College of Law, which will expand her ability to serve, protect, and advocate for those whose voices often go unheard. She views the law not only as a career path but as a powerful platform for change. Her story is rooted in resilience, driven by purpose, and guided by the enduring belief that “Sí Se Puede,” by Dolores Huerta.
Susana Ortega brings more than two decades of public service experience to her role as a Board Member of the Los Angeles County Hispanic Managers Association (LACHMA). With a career rooted in advancing equity, opportunity, and community empowerment, she is committed to supporting the County of Los Angeles’ mission and its employees.
Mrs. Ortega is currently a Program Manager in the Aging & Disabilities Department, where she oversees the Contract Compliance Division. Her prior experience with DPSS and ISD has provided her with a comprehensive understanding of county operations and strengthened her commitment to improving services for diverse and underserved communities.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of California, Irvine, and a Master of Arts in Education Administration from National University. In addition, she earned a Project Management Certificate and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, equipping her with the tools to drive innovation, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
A strong advocate for the transformative power of education, Mrs. Ortega actively supports outreach efforts that expand access to learning and professional development opportunities. Her dedication to mentorship and community engagement aligns deeply with LACHMA’s mission to uplift and advance leaders across Los Angeles County.
Outside of her professional and volunteer commitments, she finds joy in spending time with her husband, three daughters, and grandchildren.
Zuleyda (Zulie) Santana is the Administrative Deputy for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and a dedicated public servant committed to strengthening communities through effective and accountable government. She came to the United States as a toddler and was raised by a hardworking single mother whose perseverance instilled in her the values of resilience, service, and community responsibility. Growing up in an immigrant household, she learned early on the importance of working hard to uplift others, an experience that inspired her lifelong commitment to public service.
Zulie began her career in County government at the age of 17 as a student worker with the Los Angeles County Department of Community and Senior Services. While balancing school and work, she steadily advanced through the administrative ranks, developing a strong foundation in government operations and a passion for serving vulnerable communities.
Prior to her current role, Zulie served as the Chief Deputy of the Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, where she led significant organizational growth and program expansion. During her tenure, she broadened the department’s services to better support women veterans and justice-involved veterans, while helping to triple the department’s budget and double its operational capacity, strengthening the County’s ability to serve veterans across Los Angeles County.
Earlier in her career, she also served as the Business Operations Strategic Advisor for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, where she helped ensure the smooth day-to-day operations of three diverse bureaus, Administrative Services, Fire Prevention, and Special Services, supporting critical public safety functions.
Today, as the Administrative Deputy for the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Zulie plays a key role in building the administrative infrastructure that supports effective governance throughout Los Angeles County. Through strategic oversight of administrative operations, policies, and systems, she helps strengthen the organizational structure necessary for transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of public resources in service of the residents of Los Angeles County.
Beyond her professional work, Zulie enjoys traveling and spending quality time with her husband and their three children.
Jesus Garcia is the son of Mexican immigrants, who came to Los Angeles for a better life. His parents had a nine children, six boys and three girls. He was the first to attend college and receive his B.S. in Political Science and his Master’s in Public Administration with an option in Management and Leadership from Cal State University of Northridge.
He has held various positions for Los Angeles County starting as an Eligibility Worker and is currently at the Public Defender’s Office working in the Human Resources Department as a Departmental Civil Service Representative.
Henry Hernandez has been employed with the Los Angeles County for over 33 years and has held various positions in several departments which include the Department of Public Works, Internal Services Department, Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department and the Los Angeles Superior Court. His current position is the Deputy Director of Facilities and Capital Projects. He is responsible for Facilities Planning, Facilities Maintenance, General Maintenance, Administration and Fiscal/Budget for the Division. He received his Associate of Arts from Los Angeles Trade Technical College and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from California State University Los Angeles. He has been a Board member since 2007. Mr. Hernandez currently resides in the City of La Verne with his wife Violet, and his son Stefan and his daughter Marisa.
Ernesto Diaz was employed with the County for over 30 years with the Los Angeles County Public Defender Office. He has been President of the Public Defenders Association two times and President of the Latino Public Defenders Association three times. In 2018 he was appointed to the Los Angeles County Commission on Insurance by Supervisor Hilda Solis. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Juris Doctorate from Whittier College of Law. He enjoys speaking and motivating high school students to attend college and has been a hospice volunteer for over ten years. He has been a member of LACHMA since 2014.
Captain Roel D. Garcia is the Unit Commander of the Inmate Reception Center/Population Management Bureau-Custody Division for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He oversees a staff of over one thousand professional and sworn personnel and has responsibility of an annual budget in excess of ten million dollars.
He is a 25-year veteran of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Before assuming the position as Captain, he was the Executive Aide to the Sheriff of Los Angeles County. He has worked various assignments in Custody, Patrol and Court Services throughout his career.
Roel formally served as the President and on the Board of Directors of the Center for Health Justice, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving individuals with a history of incarceration. He has also served on the board of Getting Out By Going IN (GOGI), a non-profit that empowers individuals with the tools needed for them to make the most positive decisions under any circumstance.
Roel has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice Management from Union University. Roel has spent his off time, as a single parent, raising his six children. He enjoys staying active, being outdoors and spends his free time with his family.