Board Meeting Disclosure Statement

Pursuant to A.R.S. § 38-431.02, the governing board of the Nogales Unified School District #1 hereby states that all notices of the meetings of the governing board of the Nogales Unified School District and any of its committees and subcommittees will be posted in the lobby of the district building at 310 West Plum Street, Nogales, Arizona 85621 and on the district's website. The district building location is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except holidays. Such notices will indicate the date, time, and place of the meeting and will include an agenda or information concerning the manner in which the public may obtain an agenda for the meeting. Notices of meetings will also be posted on the district's website.

Our governing board consists of community members interested in the success of our schools. We hold regular governing board meetings on specified Mondays (listed below) at 4:00 p.m. in the Anita L. Lichter Board Room of the administration office. All meetings are open to the public, and we invite you to check out a meeting to see what we do. You are always welcome and do not need to call ahead.

NUSD Governing Board Members

Manny Ruiz
Board Member
Mr. Ruiz was born in 1955 in Nogales, Arizona. He had served as a board member of NUSD for 18 years prior and took a two-year rest before deciding to run again. His decision to join the Governing Board again was because he wants to make a difference for the children of NUSD.

Mr. Ruiz graduated from Nogales High School in 1974. He attended Cochise College in 2006 moving forward to University of Arizona and then later attended Arizona State University in 2008 where he graduated from the Certified Public Manager program. He further attended the Leadership Institute in 2009. He received technical training from 1991 to 1995 in Safety, Health, Handling of Hazardous Materials, Emergency Services FEMA Disaster Response, and Recovery, and FEMA HS 2-Emergency Management.

Mr. Ruiz has been involved in different associations in the community and was elected to serve the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors since 2001. He is presently serving his third term.

Amongst the several recognitions and awards, he has received is the Arizona School Certificate of Orientation and Master of Boardmanship.

Cesar Lopez
Board President
Cesar Lopez is a graduate of Nogales High School. Cesar is a new member of the Governing Board of the Nogales Unified School District, starting his term in 2021.

His career and passion have focused on building skills and capacity for local green job development through hands-on education in garden/farm design and development, water harvesting in the desert, native pollinators, organic vegetable production, community and youth leadership development. He utilizes strategies in popular education, cultural empowerment, collaboration and training for trainers methods to build the next generation of leaders in community agriculture.

He has experience in collaborative efforts toward community development through his past work on community farms, community organizations, community health organizations, health initiatives, food banks, non-profits, schools, education, the University of Arizona, and working in government through different county public health departments in Southern Arizona. In Nogales, he has been building on a history of green job development and local leadership for young people through his experience in a decades-long, collective community-based job development program in the barrios of Southside Tucson.

Currently, Cesar works as the Program Director for the SEEDS Garden program, which is focusing its efforts working with youth and young adults on building the SEEDS garden based on community education and engagement at Las Lagunas de Anza. Cesar is the farmer at Santa Cruz Farm, a small farm working to expand local organic vegetable production. He is also a member of the Nogales Compost Cooperative that is working on producing local healthy compost while addressing food waste from the community and the produce industry. Cesar has also supported the creation of cross-border spaces that bring people together through community efforts as a member of Colectivo Colmena of Ambos Nogales.

Cesar believes in education that strengthens healthy communities, that strives to build cultures of peace and sustainability. Cesar challenges the concept that: "young people are the leaders of tomorrow", and passionately promotes the vision that: "young people are the leaders of today."

For Nogales, By Nogales.

Robert Rojas
Board Member
My name is Robert Rojas, son of Renato C. Rojas and Amalia Siqueiros Rojas. I am a graduate of Nogales High School (1972) and a graduate of Arizona State University (1979). I worked for NUSD for 38 years as a teacher, coach, club sponsor, class sponsor, and at whatever capacity in which I was needed.

I am currently Nogales Lions’ Club President, Santa Cruz County Supervisor and formerly a member of the Nogales City Council. I am looking forward to continuing my service as governing board member and being part of a successful team.

Greg Lucero
Board Member
Greg Lucero is responsible for government relations for South32 Hermosa. South32 is a globally diversified mining and metals company headquartered in Perth, Australia. South32 produces bauxite, alumina, aluminum, energy and metallurgical coal, manganese, nickel, silver, lead and zinc at operations in Australia, Southern Africa and South America. The Hermosa project is located approximately nine miles south of Patagonia adjacent to the old Harshaw townsite.
Prior to working on the Hermosa Project, Greg served as the county manager for Santa Cruz County for nearly nine years. He has over 25 years of management experience working in local, state, and federal governments. He has served as a special assistant to former Arizona governor Bruce Babbitt, an assistant to former United States Senator Dennis DeConcini, and has also worked for the Pima County board of supervisors and the Tucson city council. He has experience as a department head, deputy city manager, and city manager. Greg also has management experience working for a large civil engineering firm, having served as both an office manager and regional vice president.

Greg is extremely involved in the community. Besides serving as a school board member, he also serves on the Santa Cruz County Provisional College Board and also served on the Nogales city council as a council member and vice-mayor. Greg services on several other boards, committees and civic organizations, such as the Tucson Chamber, Nogales Chamber, Nogales Noon Lions, Nogales Rotary, Pima JTED Business and Industry Council, A for Arizona Grant Vetting Committee, First United Church Village board, and several other civic organizations.

Greg was born and raised in Douglas, Arizona. He received his bachelor of arts degree from the University of Arizona. His hobbies and interests include all sports and is an avid outdoorsman. He is passionate about hunting and spends most of the fall and winter out in the field. Greg is listed in the Boone and Crockett all-time record book for Coues whitetail and mule deer. Greg is also a marathon runner and when he isn’t working he is usually found running or biking the roads and trails throughout Santa Cruz County.

Patricia Muñozcano
Board Clerk
Ms. Munozcano was born and raised in Nogales, Arizona and taught third grade for three years at Lincoln Elementary School prior to her election in 2022 as a Nogales Unified School District #1 Governing Board member.

She attended Sacred Heart School up to the sixth grade and was homeschooled through the twelfth grade before being accepted to Pima Community College. After transferring to Cochise College, where she received an associate degree, she attended the University of Arizona, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. Ms. Munozcano currently works as a second-grade teacher in a neighboring school district.

As a board member and former NUSD educator, she is dedicated to serving all of the children and families in the NUSD school community. Ms. Munozcano is committed to working collaboratively with district leadership, staff, parents, and fellow board members to ensure that our children’s education is our top priority, ultimately preparing them for a successful transition to college or career upon graduation.