2026 Elections

Hello Faculty!

It is election time for AFT Local 1828. The timeline for the election is:

February 20-27 Nominations announced
March 6 Nominations deadline
- E.C Meeting to review nominations
March 23 Ballots go out
April 6 Election opens at 8am on Election Buddy
April 20 Election closes

On the morning of Monday, March 23, a Notice of Election was emailed to all VCCCD faculty users. It included a list of all candidates running for each office, an explanation of the election process including the use of Election Buddy, a link to the campaign statements, and a gentle reminder that candidates and voters must be a union member in good standing.

The Election Buddy ballot was emailed to faculty members in good standing on 8:00 am, Monday, April 6. At the same time, an email wase sent to all VCCCD faculty to inform voting union members to check their “other” and junk mailboxes. No additional reminders will be sent.

The election closes at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, April 20. The verification and validation of the ballot results by the Election Committee is open to the membership and will occur on Friday, April 24, time to be determined. The candidates receiving a simple majority of the votes cast shall be declared elected. The newly elected officers shall assume office on June 1.

We will post updates, candidates, and other important information on this page.

Candidates

Lilia Ruvalcaba

Running for

President

My name is Lilia Ruvalcaba, and I am asking for your vote for AFT President. During my time as your AFT Treasurer, I faithfully fulfilled my responsibilities and represented our Federation with integrity and respect, always guided by the direction of the Executive Council.

As President, I will continue to be a strong advocate for faculty. I have actively participated in campus meetings, standing alongside colleagues at Board of Trustees demonstrations, and working across the district to ensure our voices are heard.

As a math instructor and dedicated member of the AFT Executive Council, I believe deeply in our faculty, our students, and the community we serve. My guiding principle is simple: students first—and colleagues, too. It is an honor to serve as a member of the AFT 1828 team, and I remain committed to our shared success.

Vote for Lilia Ruvalcaba for President.

Letty Mojica

Running for

Treasurer

I am proud to announce my candidacy for Vice President of our local AFT 1828 union. This decision comes from a deep commitment to the strength, fairness, and future of our membership.

Our union is built on solidarity, respect, and the belief that every member deserves to be heard and represented. As Vice President, my priority will be to stand alongside you—to listen, to advocate, and to act where it matters most. I believe leadership is not about titles, but about service, accountability, and results.

If elected, I will focus on strengthening communication between leadership and members, ensuring transparency in decision-making, and supporting initiatives that protect our rights, improve working conditions, and promote growth for all. I will work to make sure every voice counts, whether you are a new member or a long-standing one.

I bring a strong work ethic, a collaborative mindset, and a genuine passion for representing others. I am committed to working with our leadership team to build a more unified, informed, and empowered membership.

Together, we can continue to move forward—stronger, smarter, and more united.

I respectfully ask for your support and your vote.

Thank you,

Letty Mojica

Andrea Horigan

Running for

Secretary

I have been teaching at Ventura College and an active Union member since 2005. I have previous experience as the assistant grievance chair and as a member of the contract bargaining team. My goal in running for Union Secretary is to use this experience to serve our faculty and contribute to our union remaining a strong and effective team.

Paula Munoz

Running for

COPE Chair

Hello Fellow AFT’ers,

Union work is not easy work, nor is it attreactive to many. I believe that protection and support of our AFT faculty is critical. Much of the work of some of our AFT efforts in this area go unnoticed or under the wire. I however, made a personal commitment to serve on our AFT Board many years ago when AFT came to my defense in one of the darkest VCCCD and VC scandalous periods. I then committed to the job of COPE Chair and I did so without the claim to release time. I have never claimed release time. Why? That is my personal appreciation and commitment to AFT and I won’t take time away from my primary commitment, EOPS and the EOPS students we serve.

The most important COPE activity are VCCCD Board elections. I have managed to achieve some big wins for AFT in the way of getting Trustees elected that AFT can work with.

So, elections are around the corner and we need a third Board seat. I want a third seat. Do you want that third seat?

Nathan Cole

Running for

Chief Negotiator

I am proud to officially run for Chief Negotiator of AFT Local 1828. As an elected Executive Council member, I plan to continue to fight for our faculty with strength, clarity, and results.

As Acting Co-Chief and Chief Negotiator, I have consistently bargained to advance faculty priorities, including negotiating and strengthening the side letter that protects faculty in the certification and recertification process, and holding the District accountable for violations of our CBA during temporary emergencies and in dual enrollment agreements. As the sitting Chief, I am currently negotiating both the compressed calendar and our contract reopener, two critical efforts that will shape our working conditions for years to come.

But strong contracts do not happen in isolation. They are built through member engagement. If elected, I will continue to expand opportunities for faculty voices to directly shape our bargaining strategy. This includes accessible forums such as “AFT Know What’s Up” events, targeted outreach through “Let’s Talk” Zoom sessions, and more intentional inclusion of all faculty, including full-time and part-time, as well as classroom and non-classroom. I will make every effort to ensure our union members are not only informed, but also remain actively engaged.

Our strength at the table depends on our unity beyond it. I am committed to building that unity and ensuring every member knows their voice matters and has a place in this process. As a union leader, I will continue speaking truth to power without hesitation. I will challenge the District to meet the standards our faculty and students deserve. We are at a critical moment, and I am ready to provide the steady, determined leadership our local requires to win meaningful gains and to protect and maintain what so many before us fought to achieve.

Letty Mojica

Running for

Oxnard College Full-time Vice President

I am proud to announce my candidacy for Vice President of our local AFT 1828 union. This decision comes from a deep commitment to the strength, fairness, and future of our membership.

Together, we can continue to move forward—stronger, smarter, and more united.

I respectfully ask for your support and your vote.

Thank you,

Letty Mojica

Jose Carlos Victoria Montoya

Running for

Oxnard College Full-time Vice President

With 24 years in education, I bring both experience and dedication to my candidacy for AFT Vice President at Oxnard.
A little about me: I was born and raised in Spain, where I earned my Master’s degree in Chemistry, and I have spent the past 18 years teaching United States.

My commitment to educators extends beyond the classroom—I proudly served as a union (UTLA) co-chair for two years in Los Angeles, advocating for colleagues and supporting our shared goals.

Now, as a tenured faculty member at Oxnard, I am ready to deepen my service to our community.

I am committed to supporting our instructors and strengthening our collective voice.
I would be honored to serve and represent you.

Constantino Lopez

Running for

Oxnard College Part-time Vice President

I am asking for your vote to continue serving your interests as AFT 1828 Oxnard College Part Time Faculty VP.

As AFT 1828 OC PT Faculty VP I have:

Supported the increase in pay for office hours and pay increases for the past three contact negotiations for PT Faculty.
Led efforts to increase PT Faculty participation on the AFT 1828 Executive Council and increase union membership.
Attended District Board meetings to support Part Time Faculty interests.
Worked to achieve pay parity between Part Time and Full Time Faculty.
Helped plan meetings to keep Part Time Faculty informed on Contract negotiations, Distance Education changes, Evaluation process, and other issues that Part Time Faculty have had concerns over.

Your vote will allow me to keep on advocating for your best interests as Part Time Faculty!

Thank you,
Constantino López
AFT 1828 OC Part Time Faculty VP

Kellie Porto

Running for

Moorpark College Full-time Vice President

My name is Dr. Kellie Porto-Garcia and I am running for the Full Time AFT Vice President at Moorpark College. I have been a Full-Time Counselor at Moorpark College since the Summer of 2020and I started at Moorpark College in the Summer of 2017 as an Adjunct Counselor. I was able to work in that role as well as the Dual Enrollment Faculty Liaison position until hired as a full-time tenure-track Counselor position. In addition to Counseling, I have also had the pleasure of teaching Dual Enrollment classes, both at the high school and online, as well as regular sections taught both in person and online. In addition to teaching and Counseling I have also had the pleasure to serve in the University Transfer Center and be the Coordinator for Guided Pathways.

I would love the opportunity to serve as the Moorpark College Full Time AFT Vice President. Currently, I proudly serve on the new CBA Negotiations team working to protect faculty rights and advocating for faculty pay/benefits.I have loved collaborating with other faculty members at the different colleges and learning from their experience and expertise. If elected, I will be committed to advocating for fair working conditions, equitable opportunities, and meaningful collaboration between faculty and administration. Together, we can build a more supportive, inclusive, and empowered academic community that puts students and educators first.

Angela Wilkins

Running for

Moorpark College Part-time Vice President

It has truly been a pleasure representing you over the past two years! I’ve valued every opportunity to advocate for you in meetings with supervisors, answer questions about our contract, and support you when issues arise. I’ve also attended CFT conferences to stay informed and bring back the most up-to-date information on part-time faculty issues.

I’m passionate about this work and committed to continuing to serve and support you. It would be an honor to keep representing you, and I would greatly appreciate your vote!

Kammy Algiers

Running for

Ventura College Full-time Vice President

I am excited to be running for a second term as your full-time Vice President AFT representative at Ventura College. Over the past term, I’ve worked to advocate for faculty and ensure our voices are heard, respected, and never overlooked. I remain committed to standing up, speaking out, and helping build a stronger, more united union. I am committed to continue serving as your union rep and work alongside you to build our collective voices.

Stephen Peluso

Running for

Ventura College Part-time Vice President

Thank you for taking the time to read this. In my first term as the AFT Part-time Faculty VP at Ventura College I have learned a great deal about how things get done around here [including how they should]. In combination with serving at the PT Representative at Large for the Academic Senate, I have heard from a number of you about your concerns, including part-time office hour parity, healthcare, right of assignments, other working condition issues in both arenas.

I would like to keep on with the good work on these and other matters that directly involve the safety, the fairness, and the working conditions of VC Part-time Faculty, and I appreciate your considering me to continue to work on our behalf.