Richard Rodriguez

Richard Rodriguez
Guest Speaker, College of Science

For Dr. Richard Rodriguez, attending Stanford Medical School was a little intimidating at first.

However, those doubts dissipated when Rodriguez (’70, biology) saw his midterm grades and knew for certain he could be as successful as his peers. The Ontario native wanted to be a doctor since he was 9 but kept his dream to himself because he wasn’t sure he could achieve it coming from a working-class family.

For his undergraduate degree, Rodriguez chose Cal Poly Pomona because it was the closest to home. He credits the university for setting him up to succeed and inspiring his life-long love of learning. After graduation, he married his childhood sweetheart, Adele. They raised three children and have six grandchildren; one of them, Isabel Rodriguez, is following in her grandfather’s footsteps, majoring in biology at CPP.

After medical school, Rodriguez began working for Kaiser Permanente and rose to medical director for clinical services in Southern California. His career includes several high-ranking posts, including vice president of medical affairs for Molina Healthcare, senior vice president Chief Medical Officer of TMC Healthcare, the largest hospital in Arizona, and chief medical officer of Carson Tahoe Health.

Over the years he has supported scholarships and special educational opportunities in the College of Science. Rodriguez is a member of the Dean’s Circle, which is a vital link to industry and the community.