Sacramento, CA – Assemblymember Dr. Darshana Patel (D-76, San Diego) is pleased to announce Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey, President and Superintendent of Palomar College, as the 2025 District 76 Distinguished Woman of the Year.
A proud product of our local education system, Dr. Rivera-Lacey began at Mira Costa College before earning a Liberal Studies degree from Cal State San Marcos. She later completed a master’s in Education with an emphasis in Multicultural Counseling at San Diego State University and a Ph.D. in Education through the SDSU/Claremont Graduate University joint doctoral program. Her path embodies the transformative power of education—and its capacity to inspire positive change within one’s own community.
With 28 years in higher education, Dr. Rivera-Lacey now leads Palomar College—one of California’s largest single-community college districts—where she champions student success and accessibility. Her educational reform efforts focus on expanding access, retention, and completion, particularly for underserved populations.
“I am honored to name Dr. Rivera-Lacey as this year’s Distinguished Woman of the Year,” said Assemblymember Patel. “Her dedication to expanding educational opportunities, empowering learners, and advocating for meaningful change is truly inspiring. She exemplifies how education can strengthen communities and pave the way for upward mobility for all.”
Dr. Rivera-Lacey has been named a Wheelhouse Institute on Leadership Fellow, an Aspen Institute Rising Presidents Fellow, and a National Community College Hispanic Council Fellow. She was recently recognized among the “Top 500 Most Influential People in San Diego” by the San Diego Business Journal.
