Alumni Spotlight: Angelina Mancillas-Iturriria

Manager of External Affairs, Water Replenishment District (WRD)
Associate of Arts in Political Science, 2005

Angelina Mancillas-Iturriria serves as the Manager of External Affairs at the Water Replenishment District (WRD), where she leads external relations, education programming, and drives policy initiatives to support water sustainability in the 43 cities within WRD’s service area. But long before she found a fulfilling career in public service, she was discovering her path as a student at Cerritos College.

At Cerritos, Angelina quickly immersed herself in campus life. As a first-generation college student, she was intentional about finding community. She joined the Puente Program, later serving as Co-President of the Puente Club, and became involved in MEChA.

Her time on campus was marked by strong academic performance and leadership, earning her recognition such as the Falcon Leadership Award, Silver Falcon Award for Campus Leadership, Dean’s List honors, and the Inter-Club Council Scholarship.

It was also at Cerritos College where her career path began to take shape. After hearing Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez speak on campus, Angelina was inspired by the impact of public policy and civic leadership, an experience that sparked her interest in government and ultimately set her on the path to a career in public service.

In 2005, Angelina earned an associate’s degree in political science from Cerritos College.

She went on to the University of California, Riverside, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in Chicano Studies. Soon after, she was selected as a Public Policy Fellow with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute in Washington, D.C., an opportunity that led to nearly a decade working in Congresswoman Sánchez’s office, where she advanced policy and led community outreach efforts across the district.

In 2016, Angelina joined the Water Replenishment District, where she now leads external affairs for an agency serving more than four million residents. Her work has strengthened public engagement, built cross-sector partnerships, and contributed to the agency earning the WateReuse Association’s National Award for Excellence in Outreach & Education.

“From working on policy in Washington, D.C., to ensuring our communities have access to safe, clean, and affordable groundwater, I’ve been able to achieve my dream career,” said Angelina, a lifelong South Gate resident.

Today, she serves on the Board of Directors for the California Groundwater Coalition and the Pico Rivera Chamber of Commerce. She also continues to give back by mentoring young professionals.

As advice to current Falcons, Angelina encourages them to take full advantage of opportunities such as internships, networking, and campus resources, and to actively seek mentors who can support and guide their journey.