Dr. Guadalupe R. Corona was born in National City, raised in San Diego, California and is a proud binational “fronteriza.”  She has over 23 years of dedicated experience committed to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in higher education. Currently, she is the Director for the Office for Student Equity Programs and Services at Southwestern Community College District. Formerly, she spent eight and a half years at Alliant International University where she last served as the Director of the International Students Services and Student Scholars Office, the Undergraduate Campus Director for the Sweetwater Campus and the System-wide Director for Latino Achievement Initiatives. Additionally, she began her career in Student Affairs at the University of San Diego where she served as the Assistant Director to Student Activities and founder/director for the United Front Multicultural Center for ten years.

Corona received a bachelor’s arts degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences in Mexican American Studies with a Minor in Women Studies at San Diego State University and  received her master’s in Leadership Studies (Thesis topic: Soulful Chicana Voices in Leadership) from the University of San Diego. She completed her doctorate in Educational Leadership at the University of San Diego.  Her dissertation titled, “Latina First Year Experience: Factors that Contribute to Persistence from the First to Second Year in Higher Education,” was completed and she graduated in May of 2010.  

Guadalupe has a history of activism in the Latina/o community. She has been acknowledged by Union Bank and KPBS with the Hispanic Heritage Month Local Heroes Award. Additionally, she has received awards for leadership: the Cesar E. Chavez Social Justice Award from the Barrio Station and the Willie C. Velazquez award for exemplary commitment and advocacy on behalf of the Latino community from the Chicano Federation of San Diego County. Moreover, she was selected for the 40 under 40 Award from the San Diego Metropolitan Magazine, recognized by KSWB 5 for the Unsung Heroes Award during Hispanic Heritage Month, and was awarded the First Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards from Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians.  

In her professional capacity, she has been actively involved with the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity for the past 23 years where she has served as co-chair of the Latinx Caucus and organizes a very successful Latinx training institute for the past ten years. Most recently, she has served as an annual presenter for the Latinos in Higher Education Institute, a day and half training aimed at supporting higher educational professionals and students understand the needs of one of the largest growing student populations in higher education.

In a volunteer capacity, Corona currently serves as a board member for the Chicano Federation, active and founding member of the Language Services Advisory Council to the San Diego County Registrar of Voters, and member of the San Diego Padres Hispanic Leadership Advisory Council.  Additionally, she is a co-founder and former president of the Board of Directors for the Latina/o Unity Coalition; she was President and Vice President for the Board of Directors for the Centro Cultural de la Raza and served on the board of Community Housing Works for five years.  A highlight of her community service is when she served under former member of Mayor Dick Murphy’s and Chief of Police’s Bejerano and Landsdowne Latino Community Advisory Boards.  She has served on various committees: the Latino-Jewish Dialogue with the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League Hispanic Outreach Committee, V-me (KPBS), the Latino Caucus from the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity, the Hispanic Heritage Youth Scholarship Awards (Chair, Academic Scholarship Committee), the Cesar E. Chavez Commemorative Committee of San Diego and the MLK Jr. All People’s Breakfast Planning Committee (Chair, Media Committee).