Irma Gonzalez, the first Mexican American woman to become a federal judge, is a beacon of light for latina women who plan to pave a similar path for themselves. Irma received her Bachelor's from Stanford University and a Juris Doctor from the University of Arizona College Law. She was appointed to the United States District Court for the Southern District of California in 1992 and served as Chief Judge from 2005 to 2012. Prior to her appointment to the federal bench, Judge Gonzalez also worked as an assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Prosecution division for the District of Arizona and in Los Angeles, as well as an attorney in private practice. She later served as a U.S. Magistrate judge and a San Diego County Superior Court judge. She retired in 2013 after an almost 30-year judicial career.