Jonathan Lightman, CAE
Executive Director
Jonathan Lightman was appointed executive director of both the 10,000 member Faculty Association of California Community Colleges (FACCC) and the FACCC Education Institute (EI) in 1999. In this capacity, he serves as senior staff to the following entities: FACCC Board of Governors, FACCC EI Board of Directors, Legislative Committee, Political Action Committee and Policy Committee.
As FACCC’s senior lobbyist, Jonathan focuses his advocacy work on the State Budget, federal legislation and regulatory matters. In 2008, Jonathan was asked by the Chancellor’s Office Consultation Council to lead a weekly discussion of System advocates on budget lobbying.
Jonathan’s accomplishments at FACCC include:
Making FACCC a founding partner in the reconstituted Californians for Community Colleges, the sponsors of Proposition 92
Improving upon Whistleblower protection to provide greater remedies in the event of retaliation
Successfully persuading the Legislature to audit compliance of the Fifty-Percent Law, and defeating several legislative attempts to undermine its integrity
Worked in coalition with other community college organizations to secure funding for part-time faculty pay equity
Guiding the association through two strategic management processes
Implementing the creation of 10 standing committees
Managing the purchase of the FACCC office building
Prior to joining FACCC, Jonathan served as director of government relations and political affairs for the National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter. In that capacity, he directed all aspects of governmental and political advocacy for the 12,000-member organization, and mobilized 1,000 social workers in the “Social Work ‘96” campaign to participate in the 1996 elections.
As a contract lobbyist, Jonathan has lobbied on behalf of such interests as the State Bar of California, the California Trucking Association, the Greater Oakland International Trade Center, the Anti-Defamation League and the Reading Specialists of California.
Jonathan received his Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Brandeis University in 1983, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and received departmental honors in Politics. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California School of Law in 1986, where he served on the Hale Moot Court Honors Program and received the Shattuck Award for excellence in legal service. In 2002, Jonathan successfully joined the ranks of the Certified Association Executives (CAE) by passing the certification exam in association management from the American Society of Association Executives.
Jonathan is married to Dr. Janis Lightman, O.D., and has two sons, Aryeh (Ari), 19, and Noah, 16.
