Kristie Daniel-DiGregorio began her journey at El Camino in 2002 and her career has developed alongside El Camino’s development.

Daniel-DiGregorio met an EC counselor at her job at California State University, Long Beach, and he encouraged her to come have a look at EC.

She applied to EC not thinking much of it, and then “the rest is history,” Daniel-DiGregorio said. “Its been a phenomenal place. I’m not ever leaving.”

Daniel-DiGregorio knew that teaching was her ultimate goal, because that was her passion. However, when she originally applied for teaching, there were no available positions. The person who interviewed her then referred her to be the back filler for the coordinator in the Learning Resource Center.

Although this was not her dream job, Daniel-DiGregorio found to be rewarding that the job was in the Library.

“I got to know people from all over campus,” Daniel-DiGregorio said, “The Library really is the center of the campus and they’re connected with every other division and department.”

This put her in the position to get to know the campus which eventually led her boss to refer her to the Humanities Division, which is where Daniel-DiGregorio is currently working.

From 2003 to 2007, Daniel-DiGregorio taught part-time and was then hired full-time in the Humanities Division, along with taking on leadership roles on campus.

Along with teaching full-time, Daniel-DiGregorio is the president of the Academic Senate and is the vice president for the Faculty Development Program.

Daniel-DiGregorio has made a big impact on campus for students and faculty, and students like Cindy Villegas have learned so much from her.

“I can confidently tell you that taking her class was the best decision I have ever made at El Camino,” Cindy Villegas, 21, nursing major, said. “She has shaped me to be the student I am today, but most importantly, I believe in myself because of her.”

Daniel-DiGregorio cares immensely for her students and helping them through their journey at EC, and focuses on being able to help them in every way possible. Faculty members like Carolyn Pineda agree.

“Kristie is a fantastic colleague,” Carolyn Pineda, 42, research analyst at the Institutional Research and Planning Office, said. “With everything she does at ECC, it is clear that helping students is her number one priority.”

Along with helping her students succeed, Daniel-DiGregorio values the importance of female representation on campus.

To Daniel-DiGregorio, she firmly believes that woman can be good leaders, and wants female students on campus to believe that.

“This is really reflective of why I am sitting where I am sitting today,” Daniel-DiGregorio said. “Not just that we can be good leaders, that we can step into those roles, but that we have the courage to do so.”

After being asked to take over these roles that Daniel-DiGregorio now takes on multiple times, she really took some time to think about her students.

She thought about how she can face her students, whom she encourages to be learners and courageous.

“Our women students need to see not just that we are capable and we able,” Daniel-DiGregorio said. “We need to have all perspectives at the table.”

Having both female and male perspectives is important to Daniel-DiGregorio, but having that different perspective is what she believes can help the college be a more effective institution.

Daniel-DiGregorio’s love for El Camino encouraged her to take on these leadership roles and be where she is today.

“If El Camino needs my service, then I have an obligation to step forward,” Daniel-DiGregorio said. “And I think that is the other reason women need to step into that (leadership roles).”