Rene Castro

Dr. Rene Castro serves as faculty in the Negotiation, Conflict Resolution & Peacebuilding (NCRP) program at California State University, Dominguez Hills, leveraging 30+ years of frontline labor relations expertise across public and private sectors.

His academic credentials include:

• Ed.D. in Educational Leadership (Community College/Higher Education specialization)
• Master's in Urban Planning, UCLA
• Bachelor's in Community Studies, UC Santa Cruz

Dr. Castro's research centers on labor relations systems, workplace dispute resolution mechanics, and faculty union impacts on shared governance. His work bridges theoretical conflict resolution models with practical applications from hotel industry negotiations, hospital labor disputes, and CSU system administration. The NCRP program benefits from his practitioner perspective in designing experiential learning around interest-based bargaining and systemic peacebuilding frameworks.

Professional experience spans:

• 18-year union career representing workers across hospitality, food processing, sanitation, and healthcare sectors
• Southern Region Organizing Director for California Faculty Association
• Assistant Vice Chancellor for Employee and Labor Relations at CSU Chancellor's Office