GLENDALE — Dr. Aileen Orlino Dinkjian was sworn in Tuesday, July 14, as a member of the Glendale Unified School District Board of Education, becoming the first Filipina American elected to public office in Glendale.
Dinkjian, who represents Trustee Area D, took the oath during the board’s annual organizational meeting. California Assemblymember Jessica Caloza, the first Filipina elected to the California Legislature, administered the oath of office to Dinkjian and fellow board members Kathleen Cross and Greg Krikorian.
Cross was reelected to represent Trustee Area C, while Krikorian was elected to represent Trustee Area B after previously serving on the board from 2001 to 2022. Following the ceremony, the board elected Cross as president, Telly Tse as vice president and Neda Farid as clerk.
Dinkjian is a public health educator and health care leader who holds a master’s degree in public health from George Washington University and a doctorate in education from the University of Southern California. She is also the mother of three students enrolled in Glendale Unified schools.
Born in East Los Angeles and raised in Chino, Dinkjian attended Don Antonio Lugo High School. She told attendees that her early volunteer work and her first job with the City of Chino helped shape her interest in government and public service.
“My experience working for the city encouraged me to major in political science at Cal Poly Pomona,” Dinkjian said. “Volunteering is pretty much the theme of my life.”
Caloza, who represents California’s 52nd Assembly District, told the audience that the ceremony marked her first time administering an oath of office. She presented certificates of recognition to the three incoming board members.
The board also recognized outgoing members Ingrid Gunnell and Shant Sahakian for their service. Dinkjian and Krikorian succeed Sahakian and Gunnell, who served most recently as board president.
Glendale Unified serves approximately 25,000 students across 31 schools. Its five elected board members establish district policy and work with the superintendent in overseeing educational programs and services.
Dinkjian and Caloza are members of the Filipino American Business Association of Glendale and Greater Los Angeles County. Association board members and supporters attended the ceremony, including Ami Bautista, Carissa Totalca, Lucille Floresta, Rose Lim and Edith M. Fuentes.
