Dr. José S. Villa

Member of the Board of Directors

Dr. José S. Villa has given over 20 years to ECMHSP.

Originally, he joined the Board of Directors before he assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer, succeeding John E. Menditto, who had skillfully guided ECMHSP through the Designation Renewal System before resuming his position as Chief Legal Officer. Dr. Villa, following in the footsteps of Rafael Guerra, prioritized the enhancement of service quality and the transition towards a direct service model. During this period, ECMHSP saw a substantial increase in the number of non-mobile, seasonal families it served. Furthermore, eligibility for the Migrant and Seasonal Head Start program expanded to encompass all families engaged in "agricultural labor," extending beyond those solely involved in tree and field crop harvesting and production.

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In 2020, Villa concluded his service as CEO and in 2024 he, again joined the Board of Directors to continue his service to the organization. As a former farmworker child and someone who worked in education, having a hand in shaping ECMHSP is of huge importance to ensuring our young children and farmworker families get great early childhood education and family support services.