Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton is one step closer to completing his team of advisors with the appointment of Phoenix College faculty member Trino Sandoval as Senior Policy Advisor on Education.
Sandoval, who is "on loan" from Phoenix College, will take the lead on the Mayor's education agenda, which includes strengthening pre-school programs, expanding after-school programs, improving collaboration between high schools and colleges and seeking a greater university presence in Phoenix.
He will spend about two-thirds of his time in the Mayor's Office and continue teaching at Phoenix College. His salary will continue to be paid by Phoenix College. By borrowing experts in various fields, Stanton will be able to stack his team with advocates while remaining within his budget.
The Mayor's Office is still working on filling three positions -- a public information officer dedicated to the mayor and senior policy advisors who will serve as advocates for small business and the homeless. (The Mayor's Office previously had 19 staff positions, but is now down to 11 slots.)
Stanton said that Sandoval's experience and community connections made him a perfect fit for the role, including working Stanton's Mayor's Futures Forum on Education.
Sandoval has taught Spanish and Latin American literature classes in the college's Department of Liberal Arts since 1996. He has served in various roles, including as Associate Dean of Continuing Education and Community Service, Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages and interim Director of the Raul H. Castro Institute.
Sandoval received his Ph.D. in Spanish from Arizona State University in 2003 and also has a Master's of Arts from ASU. He received his bachelor of arts in Spanish and Latin American Studies from California State University.