The Santa Barbara Education Foundation recently elected Eder Gaona-Macedo to its Board of Directors.
Born in Guerrero, Mexico, Gaona-Macedo migrated to the United States at the age of four; he and his mother and younger brother settled in Santa Barbara. During his high school years, he participated in Future Leaders of America (FLA, Upward Bound and REAch.
Gaona-Macedo went to college at UCLA, where he studied political science and Chicano/a studies. He continued his studies at Columbia University, where he earned a masters of public Administration concentrating in urban and social policy.
In 2014, Gaona-Macedo returned to Future Leaders of America as its executive director. Under his leadership, FLA has increased youth leadership and advocacy efforts in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
Gaona-Macedo is also the co-founder of the 805UndocuFund, a project aimed at providing financial support to undocumented families in need due to natural disasters and pandemics. He has participated in the local Emerging Leaders Program, Fast Pitch, and the Rockwood Leadership Institute.
The Santa Barbara Education Foundation promotes private support of Santa Barbara’s public education system, serving some 15,000 students in 22 schools. For more information, visit www.santabarbaraeducation.org.