Rancho Santiago Community College District

Five candidates are vying for three open seats in Area 1, and four candidates are vying for a single seat in Area 3, of the Rancho Santiago Community College District election on Nov. 3.

AREA 1

Covers most of Santa Ana

Brian E. Conley

Age: 43.

Occupation: Incumbent; chairman of visual arts department at Golden West College.

Background: One four-year term on board; current Santa Ana 2000 member; former member O.C. Community College Legislative Task Force.

Priorities: Ensure quality programs despite decreasing budget; maintain growth and development of Orange campus, foster communication with state officials; keep politics out of board decision-making.

Michael Ortell

Age: 49.

Occupation: Incumbent; math professor.

Background: Trustee since 1979; charter member of Santa Ana 2000 Committee.

Priorities: Maintain fiscal responsibility; avoid layoffs and pay cuts; continue diversifying staff and faculty; improve relations with local cities; encourage at-risk high school and community college students to eventually enroll in four-year colleges.

John M. Raya

Age: 39.

Occupation: Incumbent; general manager for a construction company.

Background: Appointed to board in 1991; former Santa Ana Redevelopment Housing Advisory Commission member for five years; former redevelopment commissioner for Santa Ana for 1 1/2 years; former Education Element Task Force member.

Priorities: Maintain a balanced budget and improve efficiency of spending; boost retraining of unemployed workers; continue expansion of Santa Ana and Orange campuses.

Enriqueta L. Ramos

Age: 60.

Occupation: Educational development specialist.

Background: Has spent 20 years on California Educational Opportunity Program and Services; Girl Scout Board of Trustees Orange County for five years; doctorate from UC Irvine.

Priorities: Ensure that programs and staff levels are not cut further; develop closer ties with city government; seek funding from private sector as well as state and federal grants; add technology and computer literacy programs.

Ginger L. Cahill

Age: 45.

Occupation: Management consultant.

Background: Member of Dale McIntosh Center for the Disabled development council; member of the O.C. World Affairs Council.

Priorities: Make district fiscally responsible by building reserves instead of borrowing money; find other sources of income other than the state; boost retraining for unemployed.

AREA 3

Covers Orange, Villa Park and Anaheim Hills and parts of Garden Grove

Mara Brandman

Age: 47.

Occupation: Incumbent; community volunteer.

Background: Appointed to board in January; 10 years community activist; former president of Orange Park Assn. for three years; former member Orange recreational trails master plan committee.

Priorities: Minimize state budget crisis’ impact on students; protect district jobs.

Tom Saenz

Age: 53.

Occupation: Elementary school principal.

Background: Orange library trustee for 12 years; Rehabilitation Institute of Southern California board member for five years; Kiwanis Club member; Orange Sister City Assn. member.

Priorities: End fiscal “mismanagement” of present board; opposes recent reorganization of college which grants each campus more autonomy; wants balanced budget that puts students first.

Alvin Suehiro

Age: 43.

Occupation: Computer programmer.

Background: Bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of Hawaii; master’s degree in computer science from West Coast University in California.

Priorities: Promises to evaluate district problems and issues fairly and impartially.

Joseph Vanderhoff

Age: 44.

Occupation: Special deputy U.S. marshal.

Background: Former executive board member of Patrolmen’s Benevolent Assn. of New York; arbitrator for the O.C. Bar Assn. and American Arbitration Assn.

Priorities: Find innovative ways to increase district revenue and avoid cuts possibly through donations or raising lab fees on some elective courses; stop “political infighting” on the board.