Gloria Romero

Gloria J. Romero (born July 10, 1955) is a former California State Senator and the Democratic majority leader of the California State Senate from 2005 until 2008. She was the first woman to ever hold that leadership position. Early life and career Romero grew up in Barstow, one of six children. Her father worked in the railroad yards and her mother, who left school after sixth grade, stayed home and raised the kids. Romero received her associate's degree from Barstow Community College before going on to earn a B.A. and an M.A. from California State University, Long Beach and a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of California, Riverside. She taught as a professor at state universities and served as a trustee and vice president of the board of trustees of Los Angeles Community College District. Legislative career She was elected to the California State Assembly in 1998 and to the Senate in 2001. Romero represented the 24th district, which included East Los Angeles, portions of the city of Los Angeles, as well as a major part of the San Gabriel Valley, including the cities of Azusa, Baldwin Park, Covina, Duarte, El Monte, City of Industry, Irwindale, La Puente, Monterey Park, Rosemead, West Covina and Whittier.