Mexican American Opportunity Foundation Team

Team

Dr. Ciriaco "Cid" Pinedo

Dr. Ciriaco “Cid” Pinedo

President & CEO

In April 2022, Dr. Ciriaco "Cid" Pinedo was named President and CEO of MAOF. He leads the company and its dedicated team in fulfilling its vision of being the preeminent provider of comprehensive human services that empower families to attain self-sufficiency and contribute to a dynamic community.

Dr. Pinedo was previously the President and CEO of Children's Fund, which helped children experiencing poverty, abuse, and neglect. He is the former President of the Hope through Housing Foundation, the Chief Operating Officer of National CORE, and Chaffey College's Associate Superintendent of Business Services and Economic Development.

Dr. Pinedo, the son of Mexican immigrants, is a first-generation college graduate. He earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from St. John's Seminary College and a doctorate in organizational leadership and management from the University of La Verne. He and his wife, Dr. Teresa Pinedo, Director of Instruction for the El Monte City School District, are dedicated to transforming children and families' lives by ensuring access and support.

Vicky Santos

Vicky Santos

Chief Operating Officer

Vicky Santos is MAOF's Vice President of Operations for the Early Child Education Services division which includes Early Care and Education, Preschool, Head Start, R&R, CalWORKS, and Child Care programs. She has been with the organization since 1995. Vicky is responsible for the overall implementation of MAOF’s child care services. She began her career as a teacher in the Head Start program. Vicky holds a B.A. in Child Development from Cal State Los Angeles and a M.S. in Leadership and Management from the University of La Verne. She resides in Chino Hills with her husband and three children.

Kristan Venegas

Kristan "Kris" Venegas, PhD

Chief Learning, data and evaluation officer

Kristan “Kris” Venegas, PhD, joined MAOF in November 2022. Dr. Venegas is the inaugural Chief, Learning, Data, and Evaluation Officer. In this role, she will work to nurture a culture of learning, support strategic planning and evaluation efforts, and collaborate in the development of educational partnerships and advancement.

Prior to joining MAOF, Dr. Venegas was an Associate Provost and LaFetra Endowed Professor of Teaching and Learning at the University of La Verne (ULV). She formerly was a Professor and the Assistant Dean for Strategic Initiatives in the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California (USC). She is a former American Council on Education Fellow, an alumna of the HOPE (Hispanas Organized for Policy Equality) Institute, and a USC Latino Alumni Association Scholarship recipient.

Dr. Venegas is a proud Chicana from El Monte, CA, where she lives with her partner, Dr. Adrian Huerta and their two children. Kris holds a BA in English, Creative Writing, MSEd in Education, and PhD in Educational Policy from USC.

Claudia Rufino

Claudia Rufino 

Chief Human Resources Officer

Claudia Rufino was appointed Director of Human Resources of MAOF in November of 2000. Claudia oversees the implementation of programs relating to recruitment, retention, job evaluation, benefits, performance management, safety, workers’ compensation and employee training/development. Prior to her current position, Claudia served as an HR assistant with MAOF for six years. Claudia holds a degree in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix and has completed numerous trainings which have enabled her to become a trainer in staff development. Claudia is a member of the Society for Human Resources (SHRM) and Professionals in Human Resources Association (PIHRA). She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters.