About Us

Gabriela Cázares, PhD (she/her/hers/ella)
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Manager

Dr. Gabriela Cázares’ experience is rooted in diversity, equity and inclusion both as an administrator and educator. She proudly serves the as the Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DE) Manager for the County of Ventura where she provides programming for its 9,000+ staff. In addition she also provides guidance, support and participation for the DEI Council, Public Safety Racial Equity Advisory Group and Health Equity Advisory Council.

Dr. Cázares has taught courses at California Lutheran University, Cal State University (CSU) in Ethnic and Chicano studies as well as Education. In addition, while at University of California (UC), Irvine she worked closely at the UC Humanities Research Institute where she collaborated with UCs across the state with a focus on the retention of underrepresented faculty and doctoral students. She also directed the inaugural Title V federal Hispanic Serving Institution grant at California Lutheran University, where she designed ways to increase college pathways for Latino students. Her career and drive are fueled in part by her own experiences as a first-generation Latina from a working-class background. She received her bachelor’s degrees in Ethnic Studies and English from the University of California, Riverside and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Latina/o Literature from the University of California, San Diego.

Sarah Garcia (she/her)
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Coordinator

Sarah Garcia is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice and Belonging (DEIJB) strategist, educator, and creative dedicated to creating and stewarding environments that allow all to thrive. With more than seven years of experience as a DEIJB professional within higher education, she has had the honor of leading cultural centers at California Lutheran University and Oregon State University and directing a Civic Engagement and Leadership Center that supported college-age youth in developing skills in ethical servant leadership, public service and civic engagement. Sarah most recently served as the Associate Director of Student Life at Cal Lutheran where she served on several university-wide teams and taskforces including the university DEIJ Core Team, President’s Equity Council, Bias Incident Response Team, and University Strategic Planning Taskforce. Her professional passions include civic engagement, art as a tool for healing and social change, and community empowerment. Sarah is excited to channel her passion, knowledge, and experience in DEIJB to serve the County of Ventura in her new role as DEI Coordinator.

Sarah is a proud graduate of Oregon State University, UC Santa Barbara, and Santa Barbara City College.

Kate English (they/them, she/her)
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Manager for Youth Equity

Kate English has over 20 years of experience in community leadership working for racial and social justice in Ventura County. Kate works to bring voices that are not traditionally centered into meaningful decision and policy-making processes. They have utilized both organizing and activism in their anti-racism and anti-oppression work alongside Ventura County youth, the LGBTQ+ community, communities of color, farmworkers, and undocumented community members. Kate served as the County’s DEI Manager 2021-2023 and took on the role of Youth Equity Manager 2023-present to work alongside youth to improve policies and programs that impact youths’ lives for the better. Additionally, Kate has been backfilling the role of DEI Officer since May of 2023. Kate’s formal education is in history and the arts while their past professional experience and skillset includes being Executive Director of a youth founded non-profit, a CEO of a small company, healthcare HR Director, program development, group facilitation, human resources, and community organizing. Kate has deep connections with various communities and community-based organizations throughout Ventura County.

Lucas Saucedo (he/him)
Youth Equity Coordinator

In 2023, Lucas joined the DEI Office with a focus on supporting the new Youth Equity initiative. Before joining the DEI team, Lucas worked in municipal government and higher education, including California Lutheran University, Pepperdine University, and the City of Ventura Police Department. Lucas has advanced diversity, equity, and inclusion through policy change, programs, advocacy, direct services, and community engagement, focusing on youth, persons with disabilities, veterans, first-generation students, low-income students, BIPOC students, and those in the LGBTQIA+ community. Lucas is excited to coordinate the activities of the Youth Equity Initiative while drawing on his extensive experience in individual empowerment, training, and program management.

Lucas is a proud graduate of California Lutheran University.

Gabriel Palafox
DEI Clerical Trainee

Gabriel Palafox is a sophomore at California Lutheran University pursuing a double major in Spanish and Political Science. With a strong passion for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Gabriel currently serves as the DEI Clerical Trainee, contributing to various DEI initiatives with the County of Ventura.

In addition to their DEI work, Gabriel is an active member of Cal Lutheran’s Pre-Law Society and serves as the Department Assistant for Cal Lutheran’s Language and Cultures Department. Gabriel has conducted research on “Latinos and Gun Policies,” examining the perspectives and values of the Latino community on gun policy, shedding light on an often-under-researched demographic. Additionally, Gabriel is working on a project for the County of Ventura that focuses on the role and impact of government-elected Latino officials in the region. Gabriel aspires to become an attorney, using their academic and professional experiences to advocate for marginalized communities and drive positive social change.

Gabriel is expected to graduate with a B.A. from California Lutheran University in May 2027.