image of five CAC campuses

Board of Governors

gilbert lopez bio picDistrict 1

Gilbert Lopez
PCCCD Governing Board President

gilbert.lopez@centralaz.edu
Term Expires 2024

Gilbert Lopez was appointed by Pinal County School Superintendent Jill Broussard to fill the District 1 Governing Board
position that was available following the resignation of Gladys Christenson. He will be seated until December 31, 2024.

Lopez is currently the Economic Development and Development Services Director for the City of Coolidge and chair of the Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Committee (CEDC).

Prior to his work with the City of Coolidge, Lopez served as the Revitalization Administrator for the City of Glendale AZ, where he worked for 26 years.

With more than 36 years of experience working in government, Lopez was with Planning and Engineering for the City of Chandler and Chief Deputy Zoning Inspector
for Pinal County Planning and Zoning. Additionally, he served as Coolidge Councilmember for 18 years, and as Vice Mayor for eight of those years.
In 2011, he was chair of the National League of Cities, Community and Economic Development Policy and Advocacy Committee (CED) and Information and Telecommunications Committee (ITC).
For more than 11 years, Lopez was involved with the League of Arizona Cities and Towns executive committee.

Lopez has an MBA from Benedictine University in Mesa and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, with concentrations in Finance and Marketing.

David OdiorneDistrict 2

David Odiorne
AACCT Representative

David.Odiorne@centralaz.edu
Term Expires 2026

Dr. David Odiorne was elected to fill the District 2 Governing Board position in November 2020 for term beginning on January 19, 2021 and ending December 31, 2026.

Originally from Maine, Dr. Odiorne has served as an administrator and consultant in higher education for more than 20 years. He currently runs his own business, assisting colleges and universities in the areas of accreditation, assessment and institutional effectiveness.

Dr. Odiorne has a Bachelor of Science and Education from the University of Maine at Farmington and a Masters of Science in Educational Administration from the University of Southern Maine. He earned a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Palmer College of Chiropractic in 1981.

Besides serving as the CEO of his own chiropractic clinic, Dr. Odiorne was active in the Maine Chiropractic Association until he began his career in higher education. He held various administrative roles at National University of Health Sciences (NUHS) in Lombard, IL, National College of Natural Medicine (NCNM) in Portland, OR, Bastyr University in Kenmore, WA, and the New York Chiropractic College.

Dr. Odiorne has served on numerous boards and councils including, but not limited to, the American Chiropractic Association, International Chiropractors Association, Assessment Network of New York, Councils on Chiropractic Education International, Association on Higher Education and Disabilities, Maine Chiropractic Association, New York State Chiropractic Association, American Academy of Pain Management, and Seneca County Chamber of Commerce.

Evelyn CasugaDistrict 3

Evelyn Casuga

Evelyn.Casuga@centralaz.edu
Term Expires 2026

Evelyn Casuga was elected to the District 3 seat in November 2020 and sworn in on January 19, 2021.

Casuga has been a long-time advocate for economic development in Pinal County and the State of Arizona. She currently serves in various part time, consulting and volunteer capacities in the areas of economic and community development, education and civic engagement.

Casuga retired from APS in December 2014 following a successful 25-year career as General Manager of Community Affairs. She served in numerous leadership roles during her tenure at APS, including Southeast Arizona Division Manager. After her retirement, she held a part time position as the community relations advisor at Central Arizona College from 2014-2019.

Prior to her career with APS, Casuga spent 10 years in municipal government serving as City Manager of Eloy and Town Manager of Marana; and 5 years in non-profit roles as Manager of Community/Client Development for the Western Gateway Team.

Casuga is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) and serves on the Boards of Directors for Arizona Town Hall, Business Development Finance Corp., Casa Grande Elementary School Employee Benefits Trust, Filipino American National Historical Society-AZ Chapter, Growth Partners Arizona-chair, Local First Arizona Foundation, and Pinal Alliance for Economic Growth (and past chair including Achieve Pinal subcommittee). She is an advisory committee member to Asian Corporate and Entrepreneur Leaders and Arizona Rural Development Council Policy Forum.

Casuga has received multiple awards, including the William Lampkin Long Term Excellence in Economic Development Award, Economic Developer of the Year from the Arizona Association for Economic Development, Valle del Sol Profiles of Success Special Recognition Award, and the Asian Pacific Community in Action Community Leader Award.  She also received the Central Arizona College Governing Board Award in 2013 and is an Honorary member of the Arizona City/County Management Association.

Casuga received her Masters of City and Regional Planning from the University of California, Berkeley and her undergraduate degree in Community Studies/Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

District 4

Vacant

ruth smithDistrict 4

Ruth Smith
Vice President/Secretary

ruth.smith@centralaz.edu
Term Expires 2024

Ruth Smith was appointed by Pinal County School Superintendent Jill Broussard to fill the District 4 Governing Board position that was available due to redistricting. She will be seated until December 31, 2024.

For 40 years, Smith worked for Pinal County Schools. She served as as Special Education Para-Professional for 20 years and as Payroll/Accounts Payable Clerk for Santa Cruz Valley Union High School for three years. Additionally, she was a Software Support Specialist for Pinal County schools Data Processing Service for 16 years, supporting 21 school districts and additional county programs with school and fiscal accounting software.

Smith worked for the University of Arizona as an on-site coordinator to Early Outreach Academic Preparation for Excellence (APEX), a college preparatory program, helping 50-150 first generation college bound students per year to be successful in their higher education goals. For two years of Smith’s tenure with UA, the Early Outreach program received the Outstanding Program of the Year Award, and two students were named Outstanding Student of the Year.

Smith is a Central Arizona College graduate, receiving an Education Technology certificate in 2002. She completed 80 hours of School Business Management training through Arizona Association of School Business Officials, including School Business Management, Budget and Finance, accounting and purchasing.

During Smith’s employment with Santa Cruz Valley Union High School, she served as Classified Employee Association President for numerous years. She is a board member for Pinal County Federal Credit Union, previously serving as the Vice Chairman and currently as Secretary/Treasurer.

Jerry WalkerDistrict 5

Jerry Walker
Board Member

Jerry.Walker@centralaz.edu
Term Expires 2026

Jerry Walker was elected to the District 5 seat in November 2020 and sworn in on January 19, 2021.

Walker has lived in Pinal County for four years with his wife of 50 years, Mary Ellen.

Walker is a Public Health Educator, Life Coach and Christian Counselor/Educator. He has served as an adjunct professor at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Maryland and Central Texas University. He is a member of the National Environmental Health Association and is a Registered Environmental Health Technician Emeritus as well as a Licensed Psychiatric Technical Nurse.

Walker received basic and advanced medical and administrative training while serving in the military. He attended both Coastal Carolina Community College and The George Washington University on a part time basis. Walker continued his education at the University of Central Arkansas earning Bachelor of Science degrees in Sociology and Psychology and later a Master’s of Science degree in Counseling Psychology. Additionally, he took classes at Parelta Community College, earning an Associate of Science in Environmental and Public Health and Charter Oak College, completing a Bachelor of Science in Public Health as a Social Problem.

Prior to running for the Pinal County Community College District Governing Board, Walker served as a member of the Maricopa Community College Governing Board for six years.

Walker currently serves as a member of the Pinal County Adjustments, Appeals and Variances committee.