The first female and first Hispanic executive director of the California Student Aid Commission, Diana Fuentes-Michel was appointed executive director on May 5, 2003.

Fuentes-Michel graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Los Angeles in 1975 and

credits the Cal Grant Program for providing the financial help she needed to attend Loyola Marymount University. She became the first in her family to receive a college degree, a bachelor of arts in history and Chicano studies in 1979, before attending California State University, Sacramento, where she received a master of arts degree in government.

She served 10 years as legislative and budget staff to the California Postsecondary Education Commission, legislative aide to Assemblyman Peter Chacon and budget analyst for the California Department of Finance.

Fuentes-Michel was public affairs director at the University of California, an undersecretary in the state Department of Education and assistant secretary for Higher Education from 1999-2001. She left the department to become California Community Colleges vice chancellor for governmental relations and external affairs in 2002.

Fuentes-Michel is married to Jose Michel and has three daughters.

Official Bio (CSAC website)