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Christopher Cabaldon was the project director for the Blueprint for Community College Student Success in the New America Foundation’s California Education Program until May 2011, where he worked to optimize the likelihood and conditions for success of a major leadership initiative on community college student success by the next California Governor.

Prior to his work with New America, Mr. Cabaldon served most recently as vice chancellor of the 110-campus California Community Colleges system, and then as president and chief executive officer of EdVoice, one of the state’s most influential policy advocates for K-12 education reform. He was previously the staff director for the Committee on Higher Education and then chief of staff to the Committee on Appropriations chairwoman in the California State Assembly.

In addition, Mr. Cabaldon has served since 1998 as Mayor of West Sacramento, where his local and regional leadership on education facilities, effective governance, universal preschool, research-based reform, and workforce/education alignment have resulted in both scholarly recognition and improved student outcomes. He is Vice Chair for Education at the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

Mr. Cabaldon has taught courses in public policy and public finance at CSU Sacramento, and serves on the Board of Advisors for the School of Education at UC Davis. A partner at the Sacramento-based strategic consulting firm Capitol Impact and director of the California State Legislative Staff Education Institute, he is frequently called upon to help shape state education policy, serving as a gubernatorial and legislative appointee on a variety of blue ribbon panels.   Mr. Cabaldon holds B.S. in environmental economics from University of California, Berkeley, where he now serves on the alumni association board, and a Master of Public Policy & Administration degree from California State University, Sacramento, where he received the Distinguished Alumni Award.