UP CLOSE -- KENNETH YGLESIAS

-- Compiled by Angelique Flores, photo by xxxx

* FAMILY STATUS: Married -- wife, Donna

* AGE: 54

* EDUCATION: Doctorate in international education and educational

administration from USC; master’s degree from Western Carolina

University, North Carolina; bachelor’s from University of South Florida;

associate’s degree from St. Petersburg Jr. College, Florida.

* PAST OFFICES HELD: Associate professor of graduate education at

Pepperdine University, foreign service officer for the U.S. Department of

State; board member for the California Community College Commission on

Athletics; vice president of South California Community College Chief

Executive Offices Board; board member of the El Viento Foundation; board

member of the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce and for the Huntington

Beach Hospital

* EXPLAIN YOUR JOB IN 15 WORDS OR FEWER: Provide leadership for Golden

West College while representing the Coast Community College District

Board of Trustees in Huntington Beach

* YOUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT: Meeting my wife, Donna, and representing the

United States abroad as a foreign service officer

* PERSONAL MOTTO: “Do the very best you can, and be satisfied with your

best.”

* MOST HUMBLING MOMENT: When I was a high school assistant football coach

many years ago, our team was predicted to be the best in our conference.

I joked and bragged to a fellow coach about how badly we were going to

beat his team, which was predicted to be among the worst teams in our

conference. The supposedly worst team beat our supposedly best team by

more than 14 points in the second game of the season. After the game, my

fellow coach shook my hand and said nothing.

* YOUR GREATEST EXTRAVAGANCE: Buying and eating good chocolate

* THE MOST INFLUENTIAL BOOK YOU’VE READ: Jose Vasconcellos’ “La Raza

Cosmica” (The Cosmic Race)

* WHAT CASSETTES OR COMPACT DISCS ARE IN YOUR CAR RIGHT NOW? Andrea

Bocelli, The Four Freshmen, Gloria Estefan and Mario Lanza

* WHICH PHRASE DO YOU OVERUSE? “Good for You!”

* WHAT CAN YOU COOK? I can boil eggs and prepare sandwiches.

* YOUR LAST CHARITABLE ACT: Volunteered at the Oak View school to help a

fourth-grade class

* AS A CHILD, WHAT DID SCHOOLMATES TEASE YOU ABOUT? My long neck

* WHAT IS IN YOUR CAR TRUNK RIGHT NOW? Emergency kit and a flashlight

* THE FIRST THING THAT ATTRACTED YOU TO YOUR PARTNER OR SPOUSE: Her

smile, warmth and pleasant manner

* THE WORST IDEA YOU EVER HAD: To apply for a job in La Paz, Bolivia

* WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN VOTED IN HIGH SCHOOL: Mr. Nice Guy

* WHO ARE YOUR HEROES? Franklin D. Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr.,

Cesar Chavez and Robert F. Kennedy

* FAVORITE ESCAPE FROM REALITY: Reading

* ONE THING YOU WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THE WORLD IF YOU COULD: We should all

have access to a political democracy and the ability to provide for

oneself and one’s family.

* YOUR IDEA OF EXERCISE: Walking, shooting hoops or doing yard work

* WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR APPEARANCE? The excess folds of

skin near and about my face and neck

* I HAVE A DREAM THAT: Everyone will have a decent home, food and someone

who cares about them.