Leonard Gonzales
Military & Veterans Committee Vice Chair, LULAC National
Mr. Gonzales, a US Air Force (USAF) veteran, is the Vice Chair of the LULAC National Committee on Military and Veterans’ Affairs with responsibility for LULAC’s portfolio of Military Engagement, Veterans Support, and other matters of concern for LULAC leadership. In tandem with the Chair, he supports the National President and the LULAC agenda for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in all facets of military and civilian service and government contracting in the Department of Defense. Mr. Gonzales is a retired USAF GG-15 and is the former Director of Equal Opportunity (EO), Diversity, and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Programs for the USAF Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC). Mr. Gonzales’ background includes assignments in both military and civilian personnel disciplines.
Mr. Gonzales earned recognition from several Secretaries of the Air Force for outstanding performance as an AF Mediator contributing to the AF earning the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Award for best ADR program in federal government, the AF General Counsel Award for outstanding ADR Program for 2006, the AF Space Command EO Director of the year in 2008, the USAF Solomon Starks, Jr. Award for Outstanding EO Director of the Year for 2008, the AF Exemplary Civilian Service Award for Outstanding Performance as the AF EEO Program Manager 2007 – 2008, and the Greater Los Angeles Federal Executive Board Partnership Award for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)-Diversity outreach in 2013. Upon his retirement, he was awarded the AF Outstanding Civilian Career Service Award.
