Fresh New Face

Five Interesting Things About Equality California’s Brand New Just-Announced Executive Director

  • Equality California’s press release about Roland Palencia announces in its first sentence that he has “extensive experience in leading and managing multimillion-dollar non-profit organizations”
  • He was Community Benefits Director for the $1.2 billion L.A. Care Health Plan; Regional Director for the California Endowment, a private foundation that annually grants more than $170 million; and and an advisor to the multi-billion dollar Los Angeles County Department of Health Services.
  • His Facebook interests include “Prosecute Sarah Palin for Incitement!”
  • He was the chief of operations and vice president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which has a budget of over $100 million; and Executive Director at Clinica Monseñor Oscar A. Romero, which primarily serves Central American and Mexican immigrants.
  • His father, a small business owner and a revolutionary, was assassinated by paramilitary forces in Guatemala in the mid-70s. Palencia was forced to leave the country.
  • His first day at Equality California is July 5.
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