Santa Ana has been Nelida Mendoza’s home since 1965 when her family immigrated to the U.S. for educational opportunities and to work towards a better life. She became a proud U.S. citizen while in the Army stationed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

Nelida Mendoza was elected to the Rancho Santiago Community College District Board of Trustees in November 2012, and she has tirelessly devoted her career toward advancing educational opportunities for our local community. She served as the Board of Trustees’ Vice President, Chairperson of the Board Policy Committee, and member of the Board Legislative and Board Safety & Security Committees, and as representative to the Nominating Committee on School District Organization and the Orange County Legislative Task Force.  

Nelida is committed to giving back to the community that has given her so much. Her involvement in the City of Santa Ana includes serving as former Chairperson of the Community Redevelopment and Housing Commission, former Member-at-Large for the Environmental & Transportation Advisory Committee, and former Secretary of the West End Community Oriented Policing Board. She was appointed to a lifelong position on the Selective Service Board by President Barack Obama in 2010. In April 2014 Mendoza was celebrated as one of Assemblyman Tom Daly's Women of the Year recipients. The award honors her efforts and inspiration in community involvement in areas such as veterans' issues and higher education.

Nelida has owned her home in Santa Ana for over 35 years where she raised her three children, Joseph, Jonathan, and Marisa, all of whom have gone on to earn degrees in the fields of Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Sciences, and a Doctorate in Family Medicine, respectively.