Gloria has been a member of CommUnify’s Board of Directors since Janurary 2025. Gloria Flores was elected to the City Council in November 2024, by voters in City Council District Two, the northeast portion of the City.

She has lived in Santa Maria for eight years, relocating from Sacramento with her husband so they could be closer to her son. In the State capital, Flores worked as an advocate for Child Protective Services and reunited foster families. She also has 10 years of experience as a former private school principal and preschool director.

She is active in foster care, homelessness, and working with churches. She sits on boards for veterans’ programs, prison fellowship, the California Highway Patrol’s toy drive, food programs, foster care, the World Harvest Seminary, and is a San Diego Clergy Board Member.

She grew up in San Diego, raised by her parents who were hard working and stood for what was right for the people. Her dad was a Pearl Harbor survivor who joined the Navy at the age 14, and his ship the USS Arizona is a landmark. Her parents were no-nonsense people who believed in hard work, dedication, loyalty, and to stand and fight for what you believe. She grew up in a patriotic home. Her dad would say, if you wanted to change something, be part of the solution.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in administration. After retiring as principal of a private school, she was hired to work with Legislative Council at the State Capital while being appointed by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors to oversee the Children’s programs with Child Protective Services. She later accepted a job with Social Services as an investigator for foster care within the Department of Social Services.

She has been married 47 years to her husband, Mike, who is the Chaplain at California Men’s Colony State Prison. Together, they work closely with veterans’ program to help veterans obtain housing and benefits. She has 3 adult children, 4 grandchildren and 2 on the way. Her grown children all are public servants in the community. She loves to fish for salmon, to play golf, swim, roads trips to see other cities and their history, cooking, and spending time with her grandchildren that range from the age of 25 years old to the age of 7. She can be seen walking along Donovan Road with her two English bulldogs, Cash and Blue.

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