SACRAMENTO– The Air Resources Board (ARB) today extended a warm welcome and announced the arrival of its new Hewlett Executive Fellow, Teresa Villegas. The new one year fellowship is sponsored by the Hewlett Foundation and will serve in a number of capacities with an emphasis on environmental justice programs of ARB.

"Ms. Villegas enthusiasm, background and history of service to the community in Southern California  will greatly benefit the state," said ARB Chairman, Alan Lloyd. "And her insight will buttress our efforts to involve communities that have historically been underrepresented in the regulation process"

 Ms. Villegas graduated from California Polytechnic School at Pomona in 1996 with a degree in Business Management. She has since worked with several elected officials and community groups on projects seeking to improve the conditions of lower income residents in Southern California. The position which had most prepared her for her work at ARB was that with the group, Trust for Public Land. This group works to turn land in impoverished neighborhoods into public parks. The nature of this work forced Ms. Villegas to address environmental justice concerns on a regular basis. Her work at ARB will be to review programs and seek to mitigate actions that would be culturally or economically insensitive.

 "I am very proud and excited to be able to work on such a variety of projects that can benefit the state as a whole," said Ms. Villegas. "A goal of mine will be to increase the communication between this agency and the various communities it serves."