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June 26, 2025
Governing Board President Debbie Justeson honored with 39th Senate District Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month Community Leader Award
El Cajon, CA – California State Senator Akilah Weber Pierson has named Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Governing Board President Debbie Justeson as the 2025 39th Senate District Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month Community Leader. Board President Justeson was presented with the recognition at the Governing Board meeting on June 24, 2025, which was held at Grossmont College.
Senate District 39 includes portions of San Diego County, including the cities of
Coronado, El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, and portions of the City of San Diego.
The community recognition award honors one outstanding community leader of Asian American, Native Hawaiian,
or Pacific Islander heritage who resides in the 39th Senate District.
“It is a great honor to receive this recognition as a Governing Board Member for the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, and to serve our community in this capacity,” stated Governing Board President Justeson. “It is our continued goal to provide East County with a high-quality education system that serves all of our students.”
Governing Board President Justeson was honored with this award due to her long-standing service to the community. A resident of La Mesa, she has been an educator in East County for over three decades, teaching at institutions from the preschool to university levels. She is serving her fourth term as President of the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Governing Board, overseeing East County’s largest institution of higher education. She is the first Asian American to serve as Board President, and has been pivotal in the District’s ability to serve nearly 20,000 students each year.
Her leadership for the last 16 years has focused on the District’s commitment to inclusive practices and access to higher education. She has overseen $605 million in capital construction projects funded through the voter-approved Propositions R and V Bonds, and the implementation of new technology. She has focused on building and strengthening our community, which has a direct impact on the economic growth in the region.
About the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD)
The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD) includes Grossmont and Cuyamaca colleges, which offer hundreds of degree and certificate programs, including Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Advanced/Basic Certificates. GCCCD is the largest provider of higher education and job training in East County, and is a top transfer pathway to San Diego State University. The colleges lead the way in developing educational programs, classes and services that meet the needs of the community of learners, and prepare students to meet changing community and workforce needs, while advancing social justice and economic mobility.
Visit the District Newsroom for more news, and learn more and enroll at www.gcccd.edu/enroll.
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