Meet Our Board Members.
CSU Bakersfield’s Virtual Center for Social Justice is a Community Virtual Space to highlight issues impacting marginalized communities in Kern County and throughout the U.S. Using personal stories and insight from experts, various challenging social issues will be fully explored via this platform.
Dr. Mark A. Martinez
Dr. Mark Martinez is Professor and Chair of Political Science at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB). He earned his B.A. in political science and economics (minor) from California State University, Chico, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara (1998).
Xochitl M. Garcia
Xochitl M. Garcia is a family law attorney and Kern County native. She attended local schools and is a proud Arvin High School alum. Ms. Garcia completed her undergraduate studies at the University of La Verne where she excelled as a competitor on the International Debate Team. After earning her juris doctorate at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, she returned to Kern County to begin her professional career. Full Bio
Gema Pérez
Gema Pérez has been the Director of the Greenfield Walking Group since 2006. Since then, Gema and a group of adults, youth and children have volunteered to keep their communities cleaner and safer, working with agencies, organizations and decision-makers. . Gema is passionate about training and developing leaders, especially young leaders, and one of her dreams is to have a Community Center where the community can come together to learn and organize!
Linda Fiddler
Linda is currently the Board Chair for the Bakersfield Museum of Art. She has been an Instructor in the Education Department at CSUB since 2009 and continues to do pro-bono political and advocacy work in Kern County. After finishing her Bachelor’s Degree in English at California State University Bakersfield she taught for the Bakersfield City School District. Full Bio
Win C. Eaton
Win C. Eaton is a Certified Specialist in Immigration & Nationality Law (The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization). He is the Founding attorney of the immigration law firm of Eaton & Associates centered in Bakersfield, California. Win Eaton is committed to keeping families together and protecting the rights of employers, immigrants, non-immigrants, and foreign national investors at all stages and venues of the complex federal immigration process. Full Bio
Michael Caves
Michael Caves has been a practicing trial attorney and prosecutor in Kern County since 2007. Before coming to the Kern County District Attorney’s office, Michael completed clerkships at the Sacramento District Attorney’s Office, the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Francisco, and externed for a federal magistrate judge at the U.S. District Court in San Francisco. Prior to becoming an attorney, Michael served on active duty in the Army for 5 years, from 1999 until 2004, and is a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Michael has taught and designed graduate and undergraduate courses for over a decade in a variety of subjects, including the law, criminal justice, politics, conflict resolution, communication, and ethics. Full Bio
Dr. Dustin Knepp
M. Dustin Knepp, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at CSUB and Chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. His academic focus is on Latin American and Latino Studies. He teaches courses on Latino Cultures, Border Lives, the Chicano Movement, Mexicano traditions, etc. He grew up in a west Texas town much like Bakersfield and has lived in San Jose and the Salinas Valley (California), New York, Arkansas, Mexico, Guatemala, and various parts of Texas. Full Bio
Camila Chavez
Camila Chávez co-founded the Dolores Huerta Foundation (DHF) in 2003 with her mother, Dolores Huerta. Camila oversees DHF’s community programs which empower people with the skills to become advocates for change in their communities. Based in California’s Central Valley, DHF’s multigenerational grassroots leaders, Vecinos Unidos (United Neighbors), have successfully advocated for improving their community. Full Bio.
Dee Slade
Dee Slade is the Executive Director for the African-American Network of Kern County (AANKC), a Business and Professional organization formed in 1990 to promote higher learning by creating educational programs designed to empower the next generations to be strong leaders in business and community development. Our “Each One Teach One Partners in Progress Buffalo Soldiers Program” encourages the youth and adults to strive for excellence in academics, be informed, have self respect, and honor our diversity and show ethical behavior towards others. “Moving people from where they are to where they need to be.” Full Bio
