RIVERSIDE, CA (May 14, 2013) Ofelia Valdez-Yeager, vice chair of the Altura Credit Union Board of Directors, was recently honored as “Woman of the Year” by the Riverside County Commission for Women. The annual award recognizes a woman from each of the county’s five supervisorial districts. The awards were presented by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors at a recent meeting.
Valdez-Yeager and four other honorees were recognized for their achievements to improve the lives of women and families, bring about social and economic change and promote equality for women. The women also were honored for their work on behalf of women’s issues, for working to improve the status of women in Riverside County, and for being outstanding role models to women and girls.
Valdez-Yeager has volunteered on Altura’s Board since 1998. Altura CEO Mark Hawkins said, “Those of us who have worked with Ofelia over the years are very proud that her contributions to the community are being recognized in this very public way. She is a great contributor to our board and the community at large. She doesn’t do anything half way. She is a very honorable person and has powerful feelings about women and the Hispanic community. Her fingerprints are all over our community, and we are all the better for that.”
Valdez-Yeager has served in a variety of leadership positions in the county. In 1992 she was the first Latina elected to the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) Board of Trustees. She held positions with the Riverside Mayor’s office, and the superintendent’s office of the RUSD. She retired from the Riverside County Office of Education in 2010 as its Chief Administrative Liaison for the Superintendent. She also has served on many local boards and committees.
She currently holds the position of President of the Latino Network and is one of the three founders of the organization. She is the Founder of Latina Women’s Forum, and is the Honorary Chair and funding leader of the Cesar E. Chavez Memorial of Riverside.