Ricardo Valencia is a public servant, Santa Maria High School educator, and longtime community advocate running for Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors, District 5. Born and raised in North County, he is the son of immigrants and grew up in Guadalupe and Santa Maria. Ricardo studied at UC Berkeley and earned a master’s degree in teaching from Tufts University while teaching in Boston Public Schools. He later returned home to Santa Maria to give back, spending more than a decade helping students build academic and leadership skills.

Since 2020, Ricardo has served on the Santa Maria-Bonita School District Board and was re-elected in 2024 with strong community support. In that role, he has focused on accountability, student success, and building an inclusive bilingual teacher pipeline. His leadership is grounded in listening to residents, working with educators and families, and delivering practical solutions that strengthen the community.

Ricardo’s campaign is centered on building a safer, more affordable Santa Barbara County where working families can thrive. His priorities include expanding affordable and workforce housing, holding negligent landlords accountable, strengthening renter protections, increasing access to affordable childcare, supporting fair immigration policies, investing in youth programs, creating living-wage jobs and job-training opportunities, advancing renewable energy and climate resilience, supporting local small businesses, and improving infrastructure, transportation, and public services.

Ricardo believes that when families have stability and access to quality health care, housing, and good-paying jobs, opportunity grows for everyone. As County Supervisor, he will work to deliver better outcomes for local families and help build a stronger, fairer Santa Barbara County.

Valencia For Supervisor

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