A Strong Role Model

Evelia Sandoval, Central Oregon Community College’s Latinx Program Coordinator, is a nominee for the Bend Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 Community Hero Award. She and other nominees will be celebrated at the Women of the Year Awards banquet on February 28.

Sandoval has spent her entire career focused on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion. At COCC, she has spearheaded initiatives and projects to advance the role of Latinx and multicultural students in the campus community, building a network to support their success.

“I feel a responsibility to be a strong role model in my community,” Sandoval said. “I am a constant advocate for those not in the room and I think about policies with an equity lens.” Sandoval has worked with the Oregon Community Foundation (OCF) as a consultant for the Latino Partnership Program and recently began serving on the OCF Leadership Council.