Desiree Montenegro

Desiree Ann Montenegro, M.A., is a Communication Studies faculty member at Palo Verde College, Long Beach City College, Cerritos College, and Los Angeles Community College District, where she has taught for over a decade with a sustained focus on equitable, accessible, and culturally responsive instruction, including coursework grounded in Americans with Disabilities Act law and Universal Design for Learning. Her academic foundation in disability inclusion began with her M.A. thesis at California State University, Los Angeles, a quantitative study examining the relationship between student knowledge and attitudes toward disability and continued through her scholarly work presented at the National Communication Association's Caucus on Disability Issues, where she explored how communication competence shapes perceptions of people with disabilities. Montenegro's research, publications, and open educational resources consistently center on historically underserved communities, and her experience across California's community college system and institutions that serve as critical entry points to the workforce reflects a deep commitment to the kind of systems-level inclusion this program champions. She holds a Defense Information School certification in Public Affairs and Communication Strategy. She brings additional perspective from her work as a Public Affairs Specialist and Communication Specialist with the United States Department of Defense.