Rene Gonzalez, CCLC Legal Counsel
Name: Rene Gonzalez
Nickname: Gabe
Title: CCLC Legal Counsel, Lead Attorney
Years w/ Company: 3 years with parent, 3 months with CCLC
Years w/in Field: 7.5
Education: BA in History, JD
Geographic Location: Portland, Oregon
Family info/hobbies: I am the extremely proud husband of Angie and father of beautiful twin 2-year-old daughters. Hobbies include caring for the ladies in my life, soccer, serving on the board of an elite amateur soccer league, learning golf, and reading.
Formative Geographic Location (where did you grow up)?
Anchorage, Alaska
What do you love most about your job?
Being part of an organization that at its core is focused on caring for, and educating, children and supporting the progressive companies that share those values. Education is a big part of our family's heritage and working for an education company fits perfectly: my father started as a migrant worker in the fields of south Texas and eventually works his way to becoming a judge through a strong family commitment to education; my wife is the daughter of two college professors and is pursuing a masters in social work; and my daughters are very happy and engaged students at a CCLC center in the Portland area.
My current role on this team also affords an opportunity to have real impact on the direction of an organization that has obtained excellence in many areas and is pursuing, in a highly-focused way, taking that standard of excellence to a national platform.
If you could meet a famous person (alive or dead), who would you want to meet/why?
Warren Buffett – would love to talk to him about the great managers of the companies he has invested in and what makes them so good.
Who is your hero/why?
Abraham Lincoln, for his steady hand in the darkest days of the country; true leadership that drove the country where it needed to go; and his ability to manage the conflicting ambitions of his talented cabinet, at the same time allowing those cabinet members the opportunity to shine in their own way.
What inspires you?
In my personal life, dancing and laughing with my girls, holding them (when they let me), and watching them discover how fascinating the world can be. Outside of the home, being part of organizations both in the professional and non-profit arenas, which have clear core values, but at the same time, are highly innovative and ambitious.
What was your favorite subject in school/why?
Intellectual history: I loved reading, discussing, and writing about the evolution of ideas. Also very much enjoyed math and math-based sciences.
What is (or was, growing up) your favorite color crayon?
Green – I loved drawing US soldiers when I was kid. In fact, I once got kicked out of Sunday school for drawing a World War II scene and my mom was the Sunday school teacher!