Alumnus Miguel Santana ’91 has surpassed the expectations of his job and in doing so he has created his own spotlight. As Los Angeles City Administrative Officer (CAO), Santana has successfully managed the once shaky city budget and has also inserted himself into the discussion of other key city issues.
Santana is responsible for Los Angeles’ yearly $8 billion-plus budget and also leads negotiations with labor unions. Santana’s contributions also include work for the assessment of the city’s bid for the 2024 Olympics, negotiations for trash collection union contracts, and the city audit of DWP trusts.
One of Santana’s recent and significant policy reforms addresses the issue of homelessness in Los Angeles. Santana issued a 10-page report calling for an immediate $3.7 million Skid Row cleanup that would help implement restroom facilities. In addition, he also issued a report revealing the need to invest in coordination between departments rather than law enforcement measures.
A first-generation student and a Bell Garden’s native, Santana was inspired to be get involved with government and his community while attending Whittier College where he joined student government, the board of governors, and the Hispanic student association now known as Amigos Unidos. During that time, Santana also helped run the Whittier-Area Ecumenical Rotating Homeless Shelter.
He studied under the Whittier Scholars Program (WSP) designing his degree in Latin American studies and sociology and later received a master’s in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Santana went on to serve as one of five Deputy Chief Executive Officers for Los Angeles County where he oversaw all of the county’s social service departments prior to being appointed as CAO by Mayor Villaraigosa in 2009.
Read more about Santana in the Los Angeles News.
