Yolanda Navarro Flores grew up on Houston's North Side practicing her parents' commitment to community service. She continues the family tradition through her longtime work as a Houston Community College trustee, a role in which she combines her love for education with her determination to leave her community a better place than she found it.
A lawyer, social activist and former state representative, Navarro Flores carefully cultivates connections between HCC and District I stakeholders with the belief that a shared vision is the key to both student success and community building. She views HCC's North Side centers and facilities as extensions and reflections of the community - places that offer something for everyone. She helps foster HCC's organizational stewardship by ensuring frequent course offerings in English as a second language and classes for earning the General Equivalency Diploma (GED).
Besides basic education courses, general academics and work force training initiatives, Navarro Flores envisions more high technology offerings in the future. Educational programs in nanotechnology, chemical engineering and the most recent technological advances are planned to keep HCC students competitive in an ever-changing business climate.
By fostering good relationships in the communities it serves, Navarro Flores believes the HCC System can offer both the basics and the best practices in one student-oriented institution. She envisions HCC's mission as being the institution of choice for those determined to improve their family's quality of life.
With a bachelor's degree in radio and television communications from Texas Southern University and a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center, Navarro Flores is continuing her education for an educational doctorate through the Sam Houston State University Community College Educational Leadership Program.
A former girls' softball coach, Navarro Flores has mentored hundreds of young people in her North Side community by helping them build self esteem and find their place in society. With fellow trustees Diane Olmos Guzm‡n and Abel Davila, she formed the Hispanic Education Leadership Committee that awards thousands of dollars worth of scholarships to deserving HCC students.
A former political consultant, Navarro Flores has won numerous awards for her volunteer efforts and for her leadership in community and government service.
