Leadership Profile

New East Regional Administrator Was Told Early in Life That He Would Do Well in Criminal Justice

By Maria Peterson, East Team Leader, Communications

East Regional Administrator Armando Mendoza
East Regional Administrator Armando Mendoza

Regional Administrator Armando Mendoza took his first corrections-related class in high school, though he said he never expected it to become a career.

“I got an ‘A’ in one police science class,” he said. “Despite my reluctance, my college guidance counselor suggested I major in criminal justice because of that ‘A’ grade.”

Mendoza said he had little interest in pursuing a career in criminal justice, but he took the classes partly because of his mother’s insistence on a college education. He finished his associate’s degree in criminal justice and then transferred to San Diego State University where, again, his counselor suggested he continue with the field to earn a bachelors degree. After college Mendoza received several job offers.

“I was recruited by the Border Patrol, San Diego Police Department, and the California Highway Patrol and blew them all off,” he said. “I snow skied and traveled the world instead of taking a job.”

But as is often the case, Mendoza started a family and decided he needed to find a career that would support them. 

An associate encouraged him to take a job in the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration at Maple Lane School in Centralia. He then moved to adult community corrections at the Olympia Field office. He worked in various community corrections positions before accepting a job on the audit team.

“That job was a blast,” he said. “I traveled to almost every field office in the state and enjoyed meeting all the people. It gave me a chance to learn every aspect of caseload management.”

From the audit team he moved to headquarters legislative implementation, then to workload manager, Field Administrator, Southwest Regional Administrator and finally to his new position as East Regional Administrator.

Mendoza said he took opportunities when he was starting with DOC to network and involve himself in committees and agency-wide projects. He said that building relationships is the most important part of working in corrections.

“I tell new staff members to take opportunities to meet people,” he said. “It’s up to you to engage yourself in the work of the agency.”

Though he got a late start in the field, Mendoza said he’s hooked on corrections.                                                                                  

 “There’s never a dull day,” he said. “Right when I think I’ve heard it all, something new comes up that just blows me away.”

Divider image - horizontal green bar