Dr. Pedro Avila is the Vice President of Student Services at Santa Rosa Junior College and one of Generation Housing’s Board Members. Dr. Avila has worked in the community college system for over 18 years and has led several successful initiatives to increase college-going rates for underrepresented populations. He is co-leading student housing development at Santa Rosa Junior College, which will house 352 students with priority given to homeless and low-income students. Construction will start this year and is scheduled to open in fall 2023!
Dr. Avila was born in Guadalajara, Mexico. His family immigrated to Castroville, California, in 1984 and experienced poverty and housing insecurity. Dr. Avila attended Fresno State University as a first-generation college student, where he completed degrees in business and Latino studies. He holds a Master in Business Administration from Rockhurst University and a Certificate in Institutional Performance Assessment from Harvard’s Higher Education Institute. He recently completed his Doctorate from the University of Maryland in Community College Policy.
Dr. Avila is a housing champion. He is passionate about housing development in Sonoma County and understands from firsthand experience the challenges families face in our county. When asked about his work with Generation Housing, he responded with “we are an action-driven organization with members who share the same passion for improving housing access and affordability in Sonoma County.”
In his free time Dr. Avila enjoys bike riding, fishing, playing soccer, and hiking with his two daughters and wife. Dr. Avila believes that every family deserves to have a place to call home.