Director of academics-focused nonprofit in Pasadena announces departure

The executive director of a nonprofit that operates a number of tutoring programs and a summer school in Pasadena is stepping down after eight years.

Randy Jurado Ertll, executive director of El Centro de Accion Social – which also offers classes to help senior citizens use computers, learn English and pass U.S. naturalization exams – announced his departure in an email Friday.

Headquartered at Central Park, the group also organizes the annual Cesar Chavez Peace Walk.
“Over the years, serving El Centro and its mission has been a labor of love for me,” Ertll wrote in his email.

He could not immediately be reached Friday.

“As in any leadership position, there have been challenges to overcome and many moments of difficulty in hard economic times. But I cherished the opportunity I had to serve our city of Pasadena in this leadership role,” Ertll wrote.

His email did not state a reason for parting ways with the nonprofit.

Ertll chose to quit his job and was not pressured to leave, El Centro board member Dave Cardenas said.

“I understand that’s what he wishes to do, and we will be in the process of going through transition to try to replace him,” Cardenas said. “Randy has set a good standard for us.”

The Pasadena Human Relations Commission awarded Ertll the city’s Harry Sheldon Memorial Award for community service on May 1.

While heading up El Centro, Ertll penned two memoirs — “Hope in Times of Darkness: A Salvadoran American Experience,” published in both English and Spanish, and “The Life of an Activist: In the Front Lines 24/7.”

-- Joe Piasecki, joe.piasecki@latimes.com

Follow on Twitter: @JoePiasecki.

Editor’s Note: This post was updated to include comment from El Centro board member Dave Cardenas.

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