Meet Ricardo
Public Servant and Santa Maria High School Teacher. Rooted in North County.
Ricardo Valencia is an educator, Santa Maria-Bonita School District Board Member, and longtime community advocate who has dedicated his career to building opportunities for working families. A son of immigrants, Ricardo grew up in Guadalupe and Santa Maria, where his family worked hard, relied on one another, and built a life rooted in resilience.
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Ricardo’s parents worked long hours to keep the family afloat. His father sewed clothing in small factories, and his mother spent decades as a seamstress before later becoming a caregiver. Ricardo and his three sisters spent their childhood in crowded rentals and relatives’ garages, and at one point lived in a shelter while the family found its footing in Santa Barbara County. Even during the toughest times of financial hardship, Ricardo remembers a home supported by a close-knit community that looked after one another. When his father passed away from complications of diabetes during Ricardo’s junior year at Santa Maria High School, it strengthened his belief that every family deserves stability and access to quality healthcare.
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Early on, Ricardo saw education as the key to building a better future. Programs like AVID, after-school sports, and dedicated teachers were essential in setting him up for success. The first in his family to graduate from college, Ricardo earned his degree from UC Berkeley and later received a full scholarship to complete his Master of Arts in Teaching at Tufts University while teaching in Boston’s diverse public schools.
Trusted Leader. Focused on Delivering for Communities.
After graduate school, Ricardo returned home to Santa Maria to give back to the community that raised him. He began teaching at his alma mater, Santa Maria High School, where he has spent more than a decade helping students build academic excellence, develop leadership skills, and plan for their futures. His classroom has become a place where students feel supported, respected, and encouraged to pursue the opportunities available to them.
As a teacher, Ricardo sees firsthand the challenges local families face, including long commutes, rising housing costs, and the pressure of trying to make ends meet while still being present for their children. He and his wife, a longtime educator and now an assistant principal​ at Righetti High School, built their life together in Santa Maria and are proud ​local homeowners.
In 2020, Ricardo stepped up to run for the Santa Maria-Bonita School Board and won his first election uncontested. He was re-elected in 2024 with more than 70 percent of the vote, reflecting broad support from parents, teachers, and residents who value his approach to serving the community. He is an award-winning elected official who was recognized as North County Leader of the Year in 2025.
On the school board, Ricardo has focused on strengthening the district and expanding opportunities for students. He supported the hiring of new district leadership committed to collaboration, accountability, and student success; worked to build a bilingual teacher pipeline through a partnership with Cal Lutheran, helping local educators in earning credentials and returning to teach in local classrooms and backed initiatives that promote and reflect the district’s growing diversity. He works collaboratively with colleagues, educators, and families to ensure decisions are rooted in what benefits students most.
Ricardo’s leadership is grounded in listening to others, bringing people together, and delivering solutions. He values diverse perspectives and stays focused on results, whether that means giving students the tools they need to succeed or ensuring families have the resources required for a strong quality of life in Santa Barbara County. His work is rooted in the belief that when families are supported, opportunity grows for all.
Now, Ricardo is running for County Supervisor to bring people together and take action on the issues that matter most, including delivering a living wage, expanding affordable housing, and protecting residents, neighborhoods, local businesses, and the environment. He is committed to working tirelessly to deliver results for local families and to help create a stronger, fairer county where everyone has the chance to thrive.
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