Rudy Lopez was born in Los Angeles and has been serving his community since 1998. He started his career in law enforcement with the Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department. In 2002, Rudy transitioned to the Ontario Police Department and worked as a Captain assigned to the Special Operations Bureau. Now he serves as the Chief of Police.
In 2008, Rudy earned a bachelor’s degree from CSU Long Beach. In August of 2020, Rudy earned a Master of Science degree in Leadership and Management from the University of La Verne. In his free time, Rudy enjoys camping and boating with his family.
Allan Benavides is the General Manager of the new Ontario Tower Buzzers, the Class A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, set to debut in 2026. Born in East L.A. and a graduate of UC Santa Cruz, he brings over 20 years of executive leadership in Minor League Baseball, including 15 years as GM of the Eugene Emeralds, where he led the team to record attendance, strong community engagement, and national recognition. Allan is experienced in stadium development, sponsorship strategy, and large-scale event planning, currently overseeing the launch of Ontario’s state-of-the-art stadium and sports complex. A lifelong Dodgers fan and long-time Boys & Girls Club board member in Eugene, Oregon, Allan has been married to Caitlin Benavides for 23 years and is the proud father of Christian Benavides, 22, who is finishing his senior year at Bushnell University in Oregon. He’s also still busy raising his other “kids” - Maverick, a 5-year-old Rottweiler, and Nica, a 13-year-old Boston Terrier. He brings a passion for baseball, community building, and creating exceptional fan experiences.
Sinai Arocho serves as Vice President and Business Control Manager at Bank of America, where she leads internal control initiatives and drives operational excellence across Lines of Business and Enterprise Control Functions. Her role includes implementing enterprise-wide standards, quality assurance, and remediation processes within underwriting, monitoring, and reporting functions.
Sinai began her career with Bank of America in 1992 in Retail & Consumer Banking and transitioned to Business Banking in 2007, holding leadership roles in credit support and relationship management. She later contributed to national flood operations, partnering with credit leadership to streamline compliance processes. In 2026, she was promoted to Business Control Manager.
Committed to diversity and inclusion, Sinai is an active member of the Hispanic/Latino Organization for Leadership & Advancement (HOLA) and co-founded the Inland Empire Hispanic/Latino Business Council to expand educational and economic opportunities. She also served as a cohort leader for the Pacific Southwest Region Leadership Council (2022–2023).
Sinai holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Based in the Inland Empire, she volunteers with her church, Promise Scholars, and the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Jennifer McLain Hiramoto is the Economic Development Director for the City of Ontario. Prior to her role, she served the City of Glendale, where she has served as the Acting Assistant Director of Community Development. Jennifer earned a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Southern California in 2011, and obtained her Bachelor’s Degree from San Jose State University.
Albert was born and raised in Rancho Cucamonga and currently lives in San Bernardino. He is a municipal attorney at Best Best & Krieger LLP. Albert graduated from Damien High School, Pitzer College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Studies, Harvard Divinity School with a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies, and Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law with a Juris Doctor degree. He is passionate about diversity in higher education. He is a co-founder and board member of the Hispanic Bar Association of the Inland Empire.
Michael Gerken is the Ontario Fire Department’s 33rd Fire Chief. He was born and raised in the San Gabriel Valley and has been serving the City of Ontario since 1998. He is focused on facilitating the personal and professional growth of fire department members to enhance their ability to meet the expanding needs of our community.
Chief Gerken holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University, a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from San Diego State University, and is a 28-year licensed paramedic in California.
In his free time, Chief Gerken enjoys spending time with his wife of 26 years, three children, and friends, and can often be found golfing, snow skiing and watching sports.
Gary Ovitt is a native of Ontario. He attended San Antonio and Hawthorne Elementary schools, as well as, Vina F. Danks Junior High. Gary graduated from Chaffey High School and the University of Redlands and returned to Chaffey High School to teach for 35 years. He retired from serving 22 years as an elected official as a Councilman and Mayor in Ontario and as a San Bernardino County Supervisor. He now also serves as a Governing Board Member for Chaffey Community College, nonprofit board member for the Ontario Chaffey Community Showband, Children’s’ Fund, the West End YMCA Board and as a Commissioner on the Ontario Parks and Recreation Commission. During his leisure time you can find him reading, traveling and playing golf.
Art Marquez, Public Affairs Manager at SoCalGas, is committed to building strong community relationships while supporting the company’s mission to delivering safe, reliable, and affordable energy today. Ready for tomorrow.
Raised in Salinas and Corona, CA, Art is a graduate of Santiago High School, Riverside Community College, and UC Irvine. He’s driven by the opportunity to make a positive impact through connecting people, solving problems, and helping communities thrive. Outside of work, Art enjoys staying active, traveling, and spending time with loved ones, always bringing the good energy (it might just be a SoCalGas thing).
Brian is a Senior Vice President with JLL’s top-producing Inland Empire Industrial Team, focusing on representing occupiers and principals in the industrial warehouse sector. He serves as a member of JLL‘s Supply Chain Consulting Practice, where he assists corporations in implementing network optimization, site selection strategies, and real estate solutions. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain and Operations Management from Miami University (Ohio). He is a Member of the American Industrial Real Estate as well as a Member of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.
Lieutenant Rick E. Dominguez began his law enforcement career in 2006 with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. During his tenure with Riverside County, he gained extensive experience across multiple assignments, including Corrections, Court Services, the Civil Division, and Patrol. While assigned to Patrol, he served as a Field Training Officer and Terrorism Liaison Officer and was selected for several specialized enforcement teams.
Lieutenant Dominguez was a member of the Special Enforcement Team, the Riverside Auto Theft Interdiction Team, and the Coachella Valley Narcotics Task Force. He was promoted to Corporal, where he supervised assignments in both the Courts and Patrol divisions, and was later promoted to Patrol Sergeant. While serving with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Lieutenant Dominguez was the recipient of a Life Saving Award.
In 2022, Lieutenant Dominguez lateraled to the Montclair Police Department, where he served as a Police Officer and Sergeant. During his tenure with Montclair, he supervised specialized units including SWAT, Mobile Field Force, and the E-Bike Team. He also served as President of the Montclair Police Officers Association, representing department members and promoting positive labor-management relations. Lieutenant Dominguez is a department instructor and holds an AICC instructor certification for POST. He holds a Master’s Degree in Criminal Science and is an alumnus of the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute, Class 564.
In December 2025, Rick E. Dominguez was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. He was also selected as the recipient of the Annual Achievement Award for 2025. Lieutenant Dominguez is proud to serve the citizens and visitors of Montclair and remains committed to professionalism, leadership, and the advancement of public safety through training, mentorship, and service.
Dani was born and raised in Alta Loma and currently resides in Echo Park, Los Angeles, with her husband and son. She has spent the past 17 years working for her family’s business, Patton’s Steel, a third-generation family-owned company and longtime fixture in Ontario and the Inland Empire. As Advertising Director, Dani oversees the company’s marketing, communications, and community outreach efforts. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Graphic Design.
Having grown up in the Inland Empire and continuing to serve the area through her family’s business, Dani is passionate about giving back to the community that helped shape her. Through Promise Scholars, she is proud to support local students and help create greater access to educational opportunities.
Scott Ochoa is the City Manager for the City of Ontario. Closing the Achievement Gap is essential for cultivating a positive community of caring and compassionate citizens. Scott shares “as the first member of my family to attend college, I know what a distant dream that goal can seem like – until it no longer does because the community rallies around its youth to illuminate an otherwise darkened path.” Scott was born and raised in Azusa, CA and now resides in the City of Ontario with his family. Scott relaxes with music, movies, sports, and by building things by hand. He enjoys time with friends, family, and dogs: Trixie, Roxie, Dottie, Tilly, and Ziggy.
Kim Tovar is the Executive Director of the Ontario Montclair Schools Foundation and the Director of Secondary Education for the Ontario Montclair School District. She was born in Pomona, California. She acquired her B.A. from CSUSB, her M.Ed from the University of La Verne and her Business Management/CBO certification from USC. She graduated from CJUHSD and is passionate about supporting students, families and educators.
Dr. Macias is the Deputy Superintendent of the Human Resources Division for the Ontario-Montclair School District. A proud product of this District, he deeply values the support and mentorship from family, friends, and educators that made higher learning a reality and transformed his life’s trajectory. Dr. Macias is dedicated to fostering a commitment to a clear and compelling vision that drives higher performance and supports standards for all students to achieve their personal best, all towards a common goal of hope and accomplishment. He enjoys sports, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
Dr. Kern Oduro is the Assistant Superintendent of Student Services for the Chaffey Joint Union High School District. He received his Doctorate of Philosophy in Education from Claremont Graduate University in 2012. Prior to becoming Assistant Superintendent, he served as principal at Colony High School and Rancho Cucamonga High School.
Mia is the Early Program Supervisor for Promise Scholars. She studied at UCLA earning a degree in Mathematics. During her free time, she likes to read, crochet, and spend time with her family.
Ráelyne is a proud product of OMSD schools (Hawthorne Elementary and Vina Danks Middle School) and graduated from Chaffey High School in 2013. She graduated from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, with a B.A. in Women’s and Gender Studies before returning home to give back to the community that raised her. Ráelyne is passionate about college access for all students, especially those who are first-generation. In her free time, she likes to spend time with her family.
Amadeo is the College Ambassador Supervisor for Promise Scholars. A proud Chaffey High School alum, he graduated from Chaffey College and then transferred to UC Merced with a degree in English. In his spare time, he likes to go café hopping and watch movies.
Mia Rojas is the Promise Scholars Advisor for Montclair High School.
Liliana is the Promise Scholars Advisor for Montclair High School.
Genesis is the High School Promise Scholar Advisor for Ontario High School.
Karina is the Middle Program Promise Scholars Advisor.
Vianney is the Early Program Promise Scholars Advisor. She earned her Associate of Science in Administration of Justice in 2022 from Chaffey College before transferring to UC Irvine, where she graduated with Bachelor’s degree in Criminology, Law, and Society in 2026. Her primary goal is to integrate public safety into educational settings by collaborating with families, educators, and community resources to build secure learning environments.
Ria is the Community Relations Advisor Promise Scholars Advisor. She graduated from UCLA in 2026 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Anthropology. In her free time, she enjoys watching documentaries, going on walks, and spending time with friends and family.
Kamran is the Promise Scholars Advisor for Vernon Middle School.
Ruben is the Promise Scholars Advisor for De Anza Middle School. Ruben graduated from UC San Diego in 2026 with his Bachelor of Science in Joint Mathematics & Economics. In his free time, he likes to go camping, rock climbing, and playing basketball.
Brooks is the Promise Scholars Advisor for Oaks Middle School. Brooks graduated from University of La Verne in 2025 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Business Administration. He is currently pursuing his Master of Business Administration at Grand Canyon University. Throughout his academic and professional journey, Deshawn has gained experience working with students, supporting campus activities, and developing leadership skills. He is passionate about helping students explore their interests, achieve their academic goals, and prepare for future opportunities. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music, going to the gym, playing sports, traveling, shopping, and spending time with friends.
Mercedes is the Promise Scholar Advisor for Vina Danks Middle School. She studied at UCR and earned a Bachelors Degree in Sociology. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering, knitting scarves and blankets, and teaching her cats new tricks.
Hallie is the Promise Scholars Advisor for Serrano Middle School. Hallie graduated from Mt. SAC in 2021 with her Associates of Arts degree in Sociology. She then transferred to California State University, Long Beach where she earned her Bachelors Degree in Sociology in 2023. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, going to concerts, the beach and reading.
