Special Trustee Advisory Committee Members Appointed

for the Compton Community College District

The Special Trustee for the CCCD recently appointed three additional members to the Special Trustee Advisory Committee for a term of one year each. As outlined in AB 318, the CCCD Special Trustee Advisory Committee is organized “to advise the Special Trustee with respect to the management of the Compton Community College District.”

Domitila Aguilar

Domitila Aguilar resides in South Gate and is employed by the Lynwood Unified School District as a second and sixth grade teacher. Aguilar has served on several advisory committees relating to education and was president of the Lynwood Unified School District Board from 1998-2003. Aguilar received a Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal studies from California State University, Long Beach; a master’s degree in education from the University of Phoenix; and AVID Training from San Diego State University.

Amelia Apple

Amelia Apple is a returning El Camino College Compton Center student, majoring in technical theatre. Apple served on the Tartar Safety Committee and was elected as the ASB secretary, and also is the current ASB President. She is a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma honor society.

Oscar J. Edwards

Oscar J. Edwards is the chief executive of AgriCept, Inc. Edwards founded Computer Systems Integration & Configuration, Inc. (CSIC) in 1999. A Compton native, Edwards returned to Compton in 2007. He serves on the Compton Housing and Advisory Appeals Board by appointment of Mayor Eric Perrodin.

Mark Guillen

Mark Guillen is currently employed as a staff engineer for the Los Angeles County Sanitation District. Guillen attended schools served by the CCCD and continues to be involved in a variety of local issues. He was on the initial Advisory Board of the Paramount Education Partnership, as well as on a committee that worked to secure a bond, which resulted in $100 million in funding for the Paramount School District. In addition, he recently served on the CCCD Redistricting Committee. Guillen is a graduate of UCLA.

Amirah Hendrickson

Amirah Hendrickson is employed by the Los Angeles Superior Court as court manager/administrator in the Civil Operations Division. She is the owner of Azuri Tours and Travel, Inc. and Azuri Passport and Visa Services. In 2010, Hendrickson received the Black Business Portrait from the Carson Black Chamber of Commerce. Hendrickson received her Associate of Arts degree in general education from West Los Angeles College and her Master of Public Administration degree from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Marie Hollis

Marie Hollis is the president of Concerned Citizens of Compton, Inc. Hollis is an active member of many other organizations including the American Association of University Women and the National Association for Equal Justice in America. Hollis earned her Bachelor of Science degree
from Langston University and her Master of Arts degree from the University of Oklahoma. Hollis taught math in Oklahoma and for the Los Angeles Unified School District where she served as chairperson of the math department for 15 years and as school counselor for 22 years. She is the recipient of many awards including: Woman of the Year Award from Assemblyman Isadore Hall; the Distinguished Woman of the Year Award from Senator Rod Wright; and Mayor Tom Bradley’s “Apple for the Teacher” Award.

Lestean Johnson

Dr. Lestean Johnson has served as president/CEO of the Compton Chamber of Commerce for the past 10 years. Additionally, Johnson serves as executive director of New Beginnings Academy, an educational facility in Compton. She has worked in the City of Compton for over thirty years and serves on an advisory team where trainings and workshops are provided to existing and potential businesses. She holds a master’s degree in business management; and a doctorate degree in education with an emphasis on literacy.

Cynthia Macon

Cynthia Macon has resided in Compton since 1963. She served as marketing director for Voyager Software in Santa Monica. Macon is a member of the Concerned Citizens of Compton and the National Association for Equality and Justice in America. Macon’s history of volunteer service includes: tutoring and teaching computer skills at the Stanford Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, Calif., and through the Union Rescue Mission of San Francisco; and Sheriff Baca's Annual Community Day. Macon received the City of Compton Volunteer Award.

Martina Rodriguez

Martina Rodriguez is a longtime resident of Lynwood and is currently employed by the Los Angeles Unified School District. Rodriguez’s involvement in public education began as a volunteer with the parent council for the pre-school Head Start program at Drew University. She continued her support of public education as a board member for the Lynwood Unified School District, and as an active member of the parent council and related committees at Abbott Elementary School in Lynwood, including serving as PTA President in 1992. She also took a leadership role in organizing Lynwood Save Our Students, and later helped the community organization become a nonprofit, as well establishing the Parent Organizing Network (PON). Most recently, she served as a member of the CCCD Redistricting Committee.

Olivia Verrett

Olivia Verrett is a public servant and an active member of many community organizations focused on citizens’ rights. She is currently the planning commissioner for the City of Carson and serves as a National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) State Conference officer and Women in the NAACP chair. She also recently served on the CCCD Redistricting Committee. Her past appointments include chair of the City of Carson’s Human Relations Commission; member of the Public Safety Task Force, Women’s Task Force, and theCode of Ethics Task Force; and president of the Carson/Torrance branch of the NAACP. Verrett earned a master’s degree in sociology from California State University, Dominguez Hills; a bachelor’s degree in political science, and an associate degree in administration of justice from El Camino College.