Our President

Rick Gonzales, Jr., President

I grew up in Woodland, California graduating from Woodland schools before joining the US Army in 1964.  I was stationed in Germany before serving one year in Vietnam.  Upon discharge from the military, I enrolled at Sacramento City College earning an AA degree and then transferred to California State University, Sacramento, graduating with a BA and Secondary Teaching Credential.  My entire career was in education, teaching at Sacramento High School and coaching men’s and women’s soccer.  In 1974, the men’s team was ranked number one and invited to the California State Soccer Championships in La Jolla, California.  During the twenty years that I coached soccer, we sent fifty students to CSU, Sacramento for playing soccer at Sac High.

In 1993 I enrolled at CSU, Sacramento and earned an Administrative Credential.  Upon completion of my Master’s degree, I became a Vice Principal at Luther Burbank High School.  Just prior to my retirement, I taught Elementary PE in several schools in the Sacramento City Unified School District.  In 2008, I retired after thirty-six years of teaching. I am married to Erlinda Gonzales and we live in Davis.  We have four children and five grandchildren.  All of our children and grandchildren attended or are currently attending Davis schools.  Our oldest granddaughter is currently a sophomore at Sonoma State University.

In 1995, I joined the Concilio and was appointed to the Board of Directors where I was later voted vice president and then president.  My father Rick Gonzales, Sr., a co-founder of the Concilio, mentored me until his death in 2004.  This collaboration and the commitment of Concilio members and Board of Directors has led to its present day success.  The scholarship program which began with two scholarships in 1998 has grown to over 600 scholarships and adult grants over the past twelve years.  At the annual Concilio Recognition Dinner/Dance held in October, we honor two students from each comprehensive high school in Yolo County.  We also honor adults who have made a positive contribution to their respective community.  This event, which is also the Concilio’s largest scholarship fundraiser, is held the third Saturday in October at Waite Hall in the Yolo County Fairgrounds in Woodland.  Concilio awards more scholarships than any other organization in Yolo County.  

Currently, I serve on the Board of the Mexican American Concilio of Yolo County, on the Board of the Yolo Family Resource Center, the Yolo Interfaith Immigration Network (YIIN), the Davis Democratic Club, the Progressive Business Exchange, the Davis Odd Fellows and The Achievement Gap (TAG) within the Davis Joint Unified School District.  My main focus is on the Concilio where we help the greatest number of people.  I feel blessed to be a part of an organization  that has a positive effect on the people of Yolo County.  ¡Que viva El Concilio!