The role of the Young Professionals Network (YPN) leadership board is to develop the next generation of Latinas who are committed to electing Latinas to office. To that end, the YPN identifies and prepares exceptional young leaders under the age of 35 to support the efforts of Latinas Lead California. 

Felipa Penaloza, Chair

Born and raised in Orange County, Felipa Peñaloza is Vice President, Public Affairs at GrassrootsLab, a California-based political consulting firm, where she works with a wide array of clients, aiding with political campaigns and other legislative efforts. She specializes in data analysis and looking at Latino political representation across the nation. Since she joined the firm in 2015, Felipa has worked on ballot measures, council and mayoral races, supervisorial races, legislative races, and a governor’s race, for candidates across the political spectrum. That same year, Felipa released “The Politics of Prosperity,” a landmark report in conjunction with the California Legislative Latino Caucus and the Leadership Institute California, which took a look at Latino political representation at all levels. 

Previously she worked for the American Diabetes Association in Orange County where she managed the bilingual Passport to Health/Pasaporte a La Salud health program, partnering with community organizations and health experts to host educational workshops across the County targeted to the high-risk Latino population. Felipa graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with a specialization in Public Relations and a minor in Sociology.

Ashley Olmeda, Vice Chair 

Ashley Olmeda is a proud first-generation, Mexican American from Alhambra, California. She currently works as an environmental scientist under the scope of stormwater quality for Los Angeles and Ventura counties. She obtained her BA in Government from Smith College and MS in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Johns Hopkins University. She treasures her family and is the eldest of four children. Her hobbies include traveling, exercising, exploring boba spots, and enjoying the Harry Potter series.

Danielle Guillen, Political Director 

Danielle learned the power of community and education growing up in the Inland Empire. Her parents worked tremendously hard to transfer her to an elementary school outside of her neighborhood school. It was this small act of attending a better elementary school that affected the entire trajectory of Danielle’s life. She would not realize how impactful her parents' decision was until she was accepted into Yale University.

As a first-generation college student at Yale University, Danielle realized her family was not alone in their struggle to access equitable educational opportunities. Her desire to extend equitable education opportunities to families, like her own, led her to become a secondary teacher on the Navajo Nation where she experienced firsthand the barriers low-income rural families face to accessing high-quality education.

In her role as the Director of Organizing and Policy for  Los Angeles Unified Board District 5, Danielle intimately understood the state of education in the second-largest school system in the United States and the urgency to make sure that half a million children have access to equitable education

In her current role as Director at a national nonprofit, she works with elected leaders, executive directors,  and community organizers across the nation to ensure that students have access to an equitable education. She enjoys hikes, yoga, and essential oils.

Carola Sanchez, Director of Engagement

Carola Sanchez is the first to admit that the trajectory of her life and career hasn’t been a straight line. She graduated from Fullerton Community College and worked in many educational roles for Alhambra, Long Beach, and Los Angeles Unified School Districts. Carola graduated from California State University of Los Angeles and became a certified public-school teacher, because she wanted to provide STEAM exposure and opportunities to students in low-income areas. Carola believes that students in all areas, poor or rich, deserve rich opportunities to be able to thrive. After working in many areas and seeing the injustices in education, she pursued a master’s in public administration from California State University of Long Beach. During graduate school and after, Carola worked at Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) for the for Office of the CEO and Board Relations, Policy, and Research. She assisted the Women and Girls Governing Council, Aging and Disability Transportation Network, the Office of Equity and Race, and the Community Advisory Council. Carola is currently a Grant Administrator/ Senior Housing Analyst for ICF and the California Department of Housing and Community Development- Division of Federal Financial Assistance.

Carola’s life commitment is to always give back to communities and to help communities grow and prosper. She is a proud first-generation college graduate and the daughter of Peruvian immigrants. Carola grew up in Orange County and the Inland Empire and lived in many locations in LA County. She enjoys art of all kinds, classical and indie music, biking, reading, and running with her Aussie, Mocha.

Stephanie Nava-Angeles, Director of Operations

Stephanie Nava-Angeles was born and raised in the City of El Monte. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Sustainability Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at the University of California at Riverside. In her current role, she is the Program Manager of Water Education for Latino Leaders (WELL). Ms. Nava-Angeles has been involved in a variety of organizations and projects, all aimed at supporting her community.

She is currently a Commissioner for the City of Pasadena. Her passion for water conservation and community engagement is what led Ms. Nava-Angeles to join WELL. She believes access to clean water is a fundamental human right and that the lack of access to clean water highlights a variety of environmental injustices in minority communities.

Karen Coronel, Director of Fundraising 

Karen Coronel is a proud Ecuadorian-American from Queens, with a deep passion for politics, civic-tech, and social good. Currently, she works as a Project Manager for a Latina-owned fintech start-up.

Karen has worked across various industries and functions, including government, nonprofit, consulting, and tech. She is a self-described "deep generalist" with a passion for using technology to drive social good and help underrepresented communities.

Karen is also a dedicated volunteer and community builder. She serves as a Lead Organizer at Hack for LA a nonprofit that brings together technologists and civic leaders to create digital solutions for social impact. She is also a founding board member of Women of Color for Progress, a political action committee that supports women of color running for office in New York City.

 

Alexandra is a proud first-generation Latina American who is passionate about serving her community. Alexandra is  Operations & Development Associate at California Common Cause. In this role, she helps lead various programs designed to outreach to communities, cultivate small-donor donations, and keep the internal operations of CCC running smoothly.

One of her proudest accomplishments is co-creating and hosting “Democracy Is”, a podcast dedicated to exploring Democracy issues throughout California and how they affect communities.

Alexandra is also proud to have served as the Southern California Fellow for IGNITE National from 2022-2024. She holds a bachelor’s degree in History of Public Policy & Law from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She enjoys making a small dent in her reading list, traveling, learning new skills, and trying new cuisines.

 

Carla Fuentes, At-Large 

Carla Micaela Fuentes was born and raised in San Pedro, and now resides in North Hollywood. Having lived at both edges of Los Angeles County, she has gained a unique perspective and deep understanding of the challenges and issues our community faces. As a graduate of CSU Northridge with a degree in Political Science and an emphasis in Public Policy, she brings a wealth of experience and dedication to social change. Currently serving as the Social Innovation Coordinator at the Goldhirsh Foundation, Carla's background spans philanthropy, local government, and political campaigns. Beyond her professional endeavors she holds leadership positions, including serving as a Board Member of the League of Women Voters of Greater Los Angeles, the District 6 Representative of the Greater Valley Glen Council, the Chair of Outreach for this year's LA Congress of Neighborhoods, a member of the Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy LA Steering Committee, the Vice Chair of Communications of the Stonewall Young Democrats, and the Vice Chair of the Women's Committee of the LA County Young Democrats. Carla's passion lies in advocating for women's rights, environmental justice, and racial equity."

Cynthia Valencia, At-Large 

Cynthia Valencia is a proud daughter of immigrants, born and raised in Southern California. She is a Legislative Advocate at the ACLU California Action, managing the immigrant rights legislative portfolio. She has spent nearly 6 years at the ACLU of Southern California as a Senior Policy Advocate and Organizer, leading the ACLU’s Civic Engagement Program in Orange County by organizing volunteers to engage and inform low-propensity, highly impacted voters on their voting rights. She worked on local redistricting advocacy, ensuring that historically marginalized communities are accurately represented. She has worked on several high-priority ACLU campaigns and is particularly proud of her first campaign at the ACLU, leading local advocacy for the CA Values Act, which ensured no state or local resources are used to assist federal immigration enforcement in California.

Prior to her time at the ACLU, Cynthia spent 3 years as a legislative aide for Long Beach City Councilmembers performing legislative and policy research analysis, drafting legislative items, and managing daily constituent service duties for the council offices. Cynthia is a first-generation college graduate, who received a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Political Science and Business from the University of Southern California and studied Government at the London School of Economics. She enjoys swimming, reading, paddle boarding, and spending time by the ocean.

Daisy Villafuerte, At-Large 

Daisy Villafuerte is a first-generation Peruvian American from Pico Rivera in East Los Angeles. She is a proud alumna of UC Berkeley (BA Ethnic Studies) and USC (MA Urban Planning). As a systems change organizer, leadership coach, and holistic urban planner, she is dedicated to making Los Angeles a more equitable, safe, connected, and sustainable city for all.

In her previous role at Los Angeles Walks, a pedestrian advocacy organization, Daisy led impactful advocacy and engagement programs. As manager and later director, she empowered mothers and grandmothers to spearhead campaigns for life-saving infrastructure on neighborhood streets and secure leadership positions within city committees and transportation service councils.

Recently, Daisy took a step back to realign her personal and professional goals, reinvesting time into her family's legacy, Strong Village Enterprises LLC, a multi-state real estate development business. As Strategic Development Manager, she creates and implements sustainable and strategic growth plans. During this period of realignment, she has also been developing new technical skills and exploring the intersection of technology and civic engagement to better understand how innovative tools can enhance political participation and government services.

Looking forward, Daisy is excited to leverage her diverse experiences and leadership skills to improve quality of life outcomes for marginalized and vulnerable populations, with particular interest in how technology can foster more equitable participation in policy and government. She enjoys gardening, baking, playing tennis, and long walks in new and familiar neighborhoods.

Daniela Vega, At-Large 

Daniela Vega is a proud daughter of Mexican immigrant farmworkers who made Imperial County home. She is dedicated to her mission of advocating for workers, immigrants and the environment. Currently, she organizes in Imperial County -- advocating for a solid and united environmental and economic progressive movement rooted in liberation.

As the oldest of 4, Daniela is dedicated to help create an Imperial County that will adapt and survive climate change, while creating an economy that includes everyone. In her free time, Daniela enjoys reading and discovering new food places.

 

Diana Medel, At-Large 

Diana’s commitment to lifting up the voices of the community began in Wilmington as the youngest community organizer and Honorary Mayor of Wilmington. Diana continued organizing with the California State Assembly where worked with leaders in various cities and neighborhoods to advocate for the advancement of education equity, immigration justice, supportive services, and reentry programs.

Her experience in the public and non-profit sector led her to serve as Neighborhood Revitalization Manager with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles leading the implementation of an innovative framework to improve the quality of life of residents in the city of Long Beach through sustainable partnerships and creating a model for collaboration across neighborhoods. Today she serves as the Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson overseeing the organization's government and public relations, expansion, and sustainability efforts. Her passion lies in her creative ability to connect people and showcase the assets each community, organization, and city has to thrive.

 

Diana Ponce, At-Large 

While at UCLA, she served as the UCLA Student Risk Education Committee Vice-Chairperson, UCLA Community Programs Office Student Association Health Caucus Representative, and External Chair for Latinx Chicanx for Community Medicine at UCLA. As External Chair for LCCM, she founded Aspire Learn Mentor Achieve (LCCM-ALMA), a collaboration with a non-profit in Santa Ana to support a K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) based higher education pipeline program. Her work experiences, combined with her life experiences, have inspired her to work with communities of color to enact collective power among community members to create the changes needed in our communities. 

Her mission is to work with underserved communities to create positive changes. She previously worked as a Community Organizer in Santa Ana, CA, working with a group of residents on a community-based participatory research project centered on community safety, housing affordability, and environmental justice. There she met with local organizations and city officials to advocate for the needs of the community. 

She is currently pursuing a Master in Chicana/o Studies at California State University, Los Angeles. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with loved ones. 

Emily Rivas, At-Large 

Emily brings six years of invaluable experience in the nonprofit sector, centered on empowering the youth of Fresno County. Her commitment to community engagement and collaboration has been pivotal in orchestrating impactful events, fostering partnerships with local governments, mayors, school districts, and cultural hubs in Fresno.

A standout achievement in her career was her role as a core member in organizing the inaugural Latinx graduation within the Fresno Unified School District. Through her direct involvement, she passionately empowered young individuals to advocate for a graduation ceremony that authentically reflected their community’s essence, roots, and cultural significance.

Her dedication to ensuring that these ceremonies honor the diversity and heritage of the students has been instrumental in shaping a more inclusive and representative educational environment.
Emily’s multifaceted expertise in nonprofit work, coupled with her passion for community empowerment, has left an indelible mark on Fresno County, serving as an inspiring example of advocacy, cultural celebration, and youth engagement. 

 

Erika Cervantes, At-Large 

Erika Cervantes (she/ella) is the Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager at Alliance for a Better Community (ABC). She advances ABC’s policy initiatives on issues including higher education, digital equity, workforce and Latino/a civic participation in Los Angeles. Erika builds coalitions, collaborates with elected officials on key issues, and coordinates research briefs. She is dedicated to civic engagement and is passionate about social justice and grassroots movements.

Previously, Erika was a lobbyist in California for the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH), focusing on housing and homelessness policy. She co-led lobbying efforts for state bills on homelessness, reentry, workforce development, and Medicaid services in supportive housing.

Erika has worked with local governments and nonprofits in Riverside, Orange and Los Angeles counties, addressing workforce and economic development, civic engagement, and sustainability. She also served as the Outreach Coordinator at UCLA, assisting in diversity recruitment programs for first-generation graduate students.

Born and raised in the Inland Empire, Erika is a daughter of Mexican-born parents, and a first-generation student. She is proud to be the first in her family to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees and holds a B.A. in both Economics and Urban Planning from UC Irvine and an M.A. in Public Policy from UCLA.

Genesis Coronado, At-Large 

Genesis Coronado (she/her/ella) is a public servant of over ten years with experience in government relations, community outreach and policy analysis and holds a Masters in Public Administration. She currently serves as the Legislative Analyst for the Office of Government Relations at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).

Additionally, Genesis has extensive experience in campaign management and field operations, and most recently ran as a candidate for California State Assembly in the March primary. Genesis is passionate about building political power in marginalized people through promoting civic engagement and advocating for true representation for unincorporated communities.

In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, traveling and discovering the best matcha lattes across Los Angeles.

 

Genesis Discua, At-Large 

Genesis Discua (She/Her/Ella) currently serves as a Public Affairs Specialist for Planned Parenthood Los Angeles, where she fiercely advocates for sexual and reproductive health justice. Her work is driven by a commitment to amplifying Latinx voices and addressing the intersections of immigration status, skin color, and socio-economic class in accessing quality healthcare. In her previous role at Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), she focused on building solidarity among Latinas who were often first- and second-generation workers in white-collar spaces.

Genesis currently serves on the board of the San Fernando Valley Young Democrats, giving back to the community that raised her. She is the proud daughter of Central American immigrants and a first-generation graduate from California State University Northridge with a degree in Political Science.

Griselda Melgoza, At-Large 

Griselda Melgoza was proudly raised in the Inland Empire by her Mexican father and Guatemalan mother to believe in the transformative power of hard work, education, and community. Currently, she serves as the Public Affairs Manager for California 100, an initiative incubated out of UC Berkeley and Stanford University dedicated to promoting vision and strategy for the next century of California policymaking that is equitable, innovative, and transformative for California's most underrepresented communities.

Prior to joining California 100, Griselda served as Deputy Director of Advance for the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom. At the Governor's Office, she was responsible for implementing the Governor's vision for public programming that focused on connecting the real-life impact his policy agenda has on communities across the State. Notably, she led programming and planning for the first-ever State of the State address hosted at Dodger Stadium and the Governor's first international trip to El Salvador, which focused on bringing attention to the root causes of migration. Previously, she worked on Governor Gavin Newsom's successful 2018 gubernatorial campaign.

Griselda received her B.A. in Political Science/International Affairs from UC Riverside. Currently, she lives in Los Angeles with her Yorkie-poodle, Canela. In her free time, she enjoys hiking through the beautiful landscape of Southern California, practicing yoga, and finding the best taco stands.

 

Jacqueline Aguilar, At-Large 

Jacqueline Aguilar, a proud daughter of Mexican immigrants, was born in San Jose but has resided in Bakersfield for most of her life. She currently serves as the Government and Public Affairs Manager at Providence Strategic Consulting, a firm specializing in public affairs, public relations, and marketing for businesses and organizations. As a first-generation college graduate, Jacqueline holds both a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master’s in Public Administration from California State University, Bakersfield.

Jacqueline is a co-founder of the Kern County Young Democrat Leaders and was recently elected to the Kern County Democratic Central Committee. She is also a member of the Democratic Women of Kern, the California Young Democrats – South Valley Region, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC), and Latina Leaders of Kern County.

With a strong educational background and a commitment to effective communication, Jacqueline is dedicated to building meaningful connections and making a significant impact in public affairs. Her advocacy experience includes political campaigning and project management focused on advancing business initiatives and economic development. Growing up in the Central Valley, Jacqueline understands the importance of representation and advocates for Latinas in leadership roles. She is passionate about empowering the youth by connecting them with the resources and guidance needed for future success.

Jessica Lopez, At-Large 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Karina Camacho, At-Large 

Karina is passionate about environmental justice and developing economic opportunities in the Inland Empire (IE). She currently works at the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG) as a Senior Analyst for the Inland Regional Energy Network (I-REN), which supports local governments on energy efficiency projects and workforce initiatives.

Karina is a seasoned policy expert with experience advocating for programs at the federal and state levels. Before joining I-REN, she was a lobbyist in Washington DC analyzing the implementation of energy programs, federal funding opportunities, and financial incentives. Additionally, Karina has worked at the California Energy Commission, the UC Office of the President Sustainability Office, and the UC Berkeley Labor Center.

She is a proud product of San Bernardino, a child of immigrants, and a first-generation college graduate. Karina holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology/Law & Society and International Studies from UC Irvine and a Master of Public Policy from UC Berkeley.

Laura Garcia, At-Large 

Laura Garcia was born and raised in the city of Fresno and is a proud graduate of Fresno State. She holds a B.A. in Political Science with a double minor in Sociology and Philanthropic and Community Based Leadership. Laura currently serves as an elected board member to the Calwa Recreation and Park District and has served as a Chief of Staff for the 5th largest city in California since 2021. In her spare time she enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her loved ones. 

 

 

 

Luz Castro, At-Large 

Luz Castro currently serves as the Associate Director of Policy at Inclusive Action, leading their worker justice, safety net, and financial systems policy portfolios. Additionally, she serves as the policy co-chair at the Immigrants are Los Angeles (IRLA) Coalition, where she ensures the inclusion of immigrants in the LA County budget process. Inclusive Action is a non-profit and Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) dedicated to advancing economic justice through research, policy, and advocacy.

Motivated by a desire to understand the impact of policies on her everyday life, Luz began her career in the offices of Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard and Rep. Linda Sanchez. In her previous role at CHIRLA, she spearheaded the federal policy portfolio and played a crucial role in national campaigns to reform the US immigration system, including 'We are Home,' 'Value our Families,' and the 'Fair Immigration Reform Movement.' Luz also initiated CHIRLA’s 'All in for Registry' campaign, aiming to create a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented individuals through an update to the immigration registry.

In the 117th and 118th Congress, Luz played a key role in introducing one of the most straightforward and comprehensive legalization bills: Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929. This bill proposes updating the immigration registry statute, allowing immigrants to qualify for green cards after residing in the U.S. for at least seven years. Luz brings expertise in immigration policy, coupled with extensive experience in advocacy, civic engagement, and organizing.

Mayra Valdez, At-Large 

Mayra Valadez was born and raised in Pacoima. Mayra works at Actum, supporting various leading nonprofit, government, and business clients. Her professional background is as an organizer, and she has worked at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), DCCC, and CA State Assembly. She currently serves as the President of the San Fernando Valley Young Democrats, an organization she has been a part of for the last five years. As someone who has been interested in joining the YPN for several years, she regrets not getting involved sooner!

 

 

 

Monica Medina, At-Large 

Monica was born and raised in the Los Angeles area. She serves as the West Coast Program Manager at IGNITE where she empowers young women to use their political power to help their community. Prior to IGNITE she was at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) providing professional development opportunities for Latino Elected Officials. She also volunteers with America Needs You, an organization serving first generation college students.

As a daughter of immigrants and first-generation student herself, she understands the importance of giving back to students. She is passionate about mentorship, advocating for her community and social justice. She holds a B.A. in International Studies and a minor in Anthropology from UC Irvine. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, rollerblading, and spending time with friends and family.

Since joining YPN she’s enjoyed the opportunity to connect with like minded individuals who want to see Latinas in office. She enjoyed getting to canvas on behalf of Latinas Lead and learn more about what is happening in the world of politics. She hopes to continue to empower and amplify the voices of Latinas looking to make a difference through her role in the YPN board.  

 

Stevie Gaona, At-Large 

Stevie Gaona (she/her/they/them) was born and raised in Fresno, CA. During her formative years, Stevie’s family impressed upon her the importance of hardwork and determination; expressed through the knowledge of multiple generations of farm workers that labored in the hot Valley sun to produce a better life for their children. Inspired by her family’s legacy of advocacy, she dreamt of pursuing a career in law, to provide aid to marginalized persons. Their passion for policy work grew while working with Generation Citizen, a non-profit aimed at providing hands-on civic education and legislative advocacy experience to under-resourced schools. For her work in educating and inspiring students to make policy changes on their campus, she was awarded Generation Citizen’s “College Student Change Maker” award.

Stevie graduated from San Francisco State University with Honors, where they earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a minor in Political Science. Following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, Stevie has pivoted from pursuing a career in law, to a career in organizing and public policy with an emphasis in reproductive health. Currently, they are a legal assistant at Robbins, Geller, Rudman and Dowd LLP (RGRD), a leading securities litigation firm. While working at RGRD, they contributed to San Francisco’s “landmark” opioid trial against Walgreens.

Stevie serves on the board of Viva La Menstruation, a non-profit working towards menstrual equity on the individual, community, institutional, and societal levels through advocacy, donations, and education. She has also worked with Planned Parenthood of Mar Monte for their 2023 Lobby Day. In her free time, Stevie helps organize events in the Bay Area for BIPOC Emo Night, a collective that seeks to form a long term impact by creating safe, inclusive spaces for persons of all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations in the emo scene, which has previously been predominantly white and at times dangerous.

Yaritza A. Gonzalez, At-Large 

Yaritza A. Gonzalez Rodriguez (she/her/hers) was born and raised in Inglewood, CA to Mexican parents from Guadalajara, Jalisco, and is a proud role model to her two younger sisters. In 2016, Yaritza earned her B.A. in Geography with a minor in Public Policy from Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. Currently, Yaritza works as a paralegal in the Community College Project at theCentral American Resource Center (CARECEN) in Los Angeles, CA, where she provides legal services to students and staff in Community Colleges across Los Angeles, CA.

Yaritza will be starting her M.A. in Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles this fall. She ultimately plans on becoming a licensed attorney to help eradicate the systemic injustices that hinder underrepresented communities like hers from thriving in society.

Yaritza is also the Founder of an organization called ING Fellowship, whose goal is to inspire, nurture and guide youth in Inglewood, CA, to organize, mobilize and address different issues that affect the Inglewood community. In her free time, Yaritza enjoys mentoring and volunteering, in addition to hiking throughout Los Angeles with her huskie: Oreo.

 

Paola Fernandez, Chair Emeritus

Paola Fernández is a cross sector professional serving as a Government and Public Services Senior Consultant for Deloitte Consulting, LLC where she supports federal agencies in developing performance management solutions. She recently took on the role as a DEI Program Manager for the firm, leading professional development programming that advances and retains diverse Manager level practitioners.

She has cross-industry experience, previously serving the City of Los Angeles within the Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, and conducting economic development research with Inclusive Action for the City. She is passionate about empowering women, and she serves as the Chair of the Young Professionals Network (YPN) of Latinas Lead CA, working to develop the next generation of Latinas who are committed to electing Latinas to public office. 

Paola is the proud daughter and granddaughter of Ecuadorian immigrants and was born and raised in LosAngeles, CA. Paola earned her bachelor's degree (B.A.) in International Relations and Social Entrepreneurship and a Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) from the University of Southern California. She is also an alumna of American University’s Women & Politics Institutes WeLead Program.