FBANC Congratulates Raymond A. Buenaventura

FBANC extends its warmest congratulations to advisory board member Ray A. Buenaventura on his recent selection as Monterey County Public Defender.

Ray has more than 30 years’ experience as a public defender throughout California. Ray’s career as a public defender began in 1993 in the Los Angeles Public Defender’s Office handling serious cases such as homicide and gang related offenses. From there he worked at the San Mateo County Public Defender’s Office and then became the Chief Public Defender in Lake County in 2023, where he transformed the private public defender contract program into a robust public defender’s office “prioritizing effective and compassionate legal representation,” the County of Monterey said.

While a deputy public defender in San Mateo County, Ray served as a library commissioner, on the city council, and he has been the mayor of Daly City. In 2019, Ray was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the California State Bar.

Ray was born in the Philippines but came to the United States as a child with his family, first living in Queens, New York then Daly City, California. He earned his B.A. in legal studies at the University of California, Berkeley and his Juris Doctorate degree from Whittier Law School.

Congratulations to Ray Buenaventura!

Contact FBANC President Maribeth Charvet maribethcharvet@fbanc.org for more information.