Gloria Romero '22 Contributor Since 2022

Gloria J. Romero is a Professor Emeritus of psychology at California State University and the first woman ever to have held the position of Majority Leader of the California State Senate. She also served as chair of the Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee on Education. A staunch advocate for education reform, Romero has worked to expand school choice options for parents and served as Founder and Strategic Planner of the California Center for Parent Empowerment. Born in Barstow, California, Romero was one of six children raised by a railyard worker and a stay-at-home mom. After receiving her associate degree from Barstow Community College and a BA and MA from California State University, Romero went on to earn a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of California, Riverside. In 1998, she was elected to the California State Assembly, and the Senate in 2001, serving as Majority Leader from 2005 to 2008. She continues to write on politics and education reform, and teaches courses on both subjects.