Board of Directors

Division 1
Term Expires: 2028

Kim Jarrell Johnson was born and raised in the Jurupa Valley area and graduated from Rubidoux High School in 1979. She went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in Public Service/ Political Science from UC Riverside and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Cal State Fullerton. Kim has spent almost 30 years working in local government in the areas of land use planning, park planning, and historic preservation. She and her husband Mark, also a Rubidoux graduate, have two daughters who graduated from local schools.

Experience:

• Jurupa Valley Planning Commission member 2011-2014
• Founding member and board member of the Support Jurupa Valley Association
• Board member of the Jurupa Valley Community Foundation
• Board member of the Jurupa Valley Incorporation Research Committee
• Vice president of the Yes on Cityhood committee

Division 4
Term Expires: 2026

Edgar Castelan has lived in Jurupa Valley for 19 years ever since moving to the Glen Avon neighborhood in 2002. He attended local K-12 public schools and graduated from Patriot High School in 2011. He continued his higher education at the University of California, Riverside attaining a B.A. in Political Science/Administrative Studies and a Master’s in Public Policy. Edgar has a background working in city planning, policy research, and interagency and community outreach. He currently works for State Senator Connie Leyva as a District Representative attending to state matters important to her constituents within her senate district in San Bernardino County.

Division 2
Term Expires: 2028

José Luis Godínez begins his second elected term as the President of the Board of Directors at the Jurupa Area Recreation & Parks District. For over two decades, José Luis and his family have made Jurupa Valley their home, specifically in the Mira Loma area. José Luis has attended several local colleges and universities having received an Associate of Arts in Spanish Language & Literature from Norco College and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Linguistics from the University of California, Riverside. After nearly a decade of work at Riverside Unified School District as a Community Assistant Bilingual and Interpreter/Translator, Godínez is now in his first year of a Master’s to Ph.D. program at UCR. As a Teaching Assistant within the Hispanic Studies Department and as part of the SOCALab at UCR, José Luis focuses his academic work on sociolinguistics. His academic responsibilities as an educator, as well as his duties as a parks director, focus on achieving linguistic and equitable representation, as well as enhancing green spaces within our communities.

Experience:

Spanish of California Lab (SOCALab)

Society for the Analysis of Cultural Topics and Linguistic Identities N’Asturies (SAnTINA)

Division 5
Term Expires: 2026

Ross Leja and his wife Diana have made their home in Jurupa Valley since 1993. He retired in 2023 after a career as an electrical technician and programmer for 48 years. Ross’s deep commitment to the local area began as he and his wife Diana raised their three children, each participating in the RHS Jr. ROTC program, and graduating from Rubidoux High School.  Ross believes in the benefit’s of being an active member of the community.  His focus is to promote a safe, healthy, and involved community.

• United States Air Force 1975 – 1984
• City of Jurupa Valley Traffic Safety Committee
• Jurupa Unified School District Citizens Oversight Committee
• Veteran’s Memorial Wall Committee member
• Jurupa Children’s Christmas Party volunteer