Elizabeth F. Romero grew up in the community of Thermal, California, the daughter of hardworking immigrants from Mexico and El Salvador.

Elizabeth attended Coachella Valley High School and College of the Desert prior to transferring to the University of California, Riverside where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. She also holds a Masters of Politics, Economics and Business from Claremont Graduate University.

Elizabeth has been appointed as the new Assistant Vice Chancellor of Government & Community Relations at the University of California, Riverside (UCR).

Prior to joining UCR, Elizabeth served as the Director of Community and Government Relations for Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest in Riverside and Imperial Counties. Elizabeth also managed the Building Healthy Communities Initiative funded by The California Endowment. She has also worked for Desert Arc, University Center for Developmental Disabilities and served as a Legislative Assistant to the late Riverside County Fourth District Supervisor Roy Wilson and Supervisor John J. Benoit.

In 2006, Elizabeth was first elected to the Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees at the age of 23. Currently, Elizabeth serves as an elected member of the Riverside County Board of Education representing Coachella Valley, Desert Center, Desert Sands, Palm Springs and Palo Verde Unified School Districts.

Elizabeth is an alumnus of the Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) Leadership Institute and Women’s Policy Institute sponsored by the Women’s Foundation of California. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Desert Regional Medical Center and Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert.