Jose J. Vaquera, a native of Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, immigrated to the United States along with his family in 1983. Upon graduating from high school in 1990, he enrolled at Arizona State University, majoring in History and graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in 1997.  During his college years he worked in entry level positions with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, a total of 10 years, including 4 years with the Office of Contract Counsel where he was in charge of assigning attorneys and Guardian A- Litems for indigent families in Juvenile, Severance and Dependency cases. In 1999, interested in serving the community, he obtained part-time employment at Friendly House as a Citizenship Instructor. 
 

In 2001 he resigned his position with Maricopa County and became a full time Friendly House employee, starting as a Community/Business Network Liaison with the Workforce Development Department.  Since then, Jose has held various positions within Friendly House including Director of Youth Services in charge of the TRiO-Educational Talent Search Program, a college access program aimed at assisting low income/first generation students to enroll and graduate from college.  He also served as the administrator of student/parental engagement programs within the department, supporting parents and students of low income/first generation backgrounds in completing their college education.  
 

Since 2011, Jose has proudly served as a member of the MCCCD Chancellor’s Latino Advisory Committee. Throughout his professional life Jose has sought to help young people succeed.  He has a passion for his work because he sees himself in every one of those students.  He is aware that in the recent past he too was a first generation, low-income, at risk youth and knows the importance other people had in his life to help him succeed.  Jose has been married to his wife Toya (a high school teacher) for 19 years and is blessed with two children.