As the first Mexican American and youngest Latino school chief ever hired by the Rialto Unified School District (Rialto USD), Cuauhtémoc Avila understood that building trust in the community and among teachers, administrators, and support staff in his district would take some time, and he didn’t waste a minute of it. Avila, who graduated with his master’s degree in Educational Administration in 2008 from California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), was unanimously appointed superintendent of the Rialto USD in 2015. He has been a leader in public education for more than 22 years. Avila began his career as an educator in 1994 as a middle school teacher in the Compton Unified School District. During his 13 years in the district, he served as a successful elementary, middle, and high school principal. In 2007, Avila joined the Glendale Unified School District as principal of alternative education, and subsequently, as director of educational services. From 2012, until joining Rialto USD, Avila served as the Assistant Superintendent of Educational Programs for the Los Angeles County Office of Education, where he worked in collaboration with probation and other agencies primarily related to incarcerated youth. Dr. Avila  was a standout two-sport student-athlete who lettered in baseball (three-year starter at shortstop and pitcher) and football (three-year starter as a kicker and two-year starter at quarterback).  Dr. Avila had the distinction of being the first varsity quarterback of Mexican-American descent in Compton High’s well chronicled and storied athletic history.  During his senior year, he batted .364 and had a CIF Southern Section leading 34 stolen bases. Compton Senior High School class of 1987 .