Career Path Of A CEO At Latina Advocates

I had a handful of different experiences. One of my first jobs outside of retail was at Sac State. I worked at the student shop inside the business office at the time.

While there, I learned about many opportunities Sac State offered. This is how I learned the union partnered with state agencies. I ended up working at the Secretary of State Elections Division as a student assistant.

It was during a primary election, a really interesting opportunity. But at the same time, I knew I wanted to explore other opportunities and not make it to the general election. So I explored other options, which led me to working at a law firm.

I thought I wanted to be a lawyer and explore what that would entail. It was a great opportunity with great pay, but I knew it wasn't something I wanted to do long-term. It also helped me confirm whether or not I actually wanted to go to law school.

Thereafter, I took an internship in DC with CHC PAC, a fundraising PAC for the Congressional Hispanic members. It was a great opportunity to learn about fundraising. During that time, we also went to Texas to learn about separations at the border.

That experience solidified my desire to do more policy work. When I came back to Sacramento, I explored other potential opportunities. I also had to work full-time again, so I ended up working at a congressional reelection campaign.

While working the campaign, I also interned at Planned Parenthood. These opportunities were brought to campus through the college chapters. They were paid opportunities, and as a college student, it was difficult to find paid positions.

At Planned Parenthood, my experiences came together. I understood the importance of elections, the fundraising side, and how policy is shaped and formed. As these experiences were ending, I tapped into my network and relationships.

I was fortunate enough to start working for a lobbying firm that focused on education policy. I knew what lobbyists did, but I never thought it was a career I had access to. The traditional path seemed to be working at the Capitol and then moving into lobbying.

It felt like you had to know someone or be related to someone to get into lobbying. Lobbyists are often referred to as the "third house." After working at the education lobbying firm for over five years, I grew and better understood the world of lobbying.

At the end of 2023, my lobbying firm was undergoing transitions. I decided to bet on myself and go out on my own. As of January 1st, 2024, Latina Advocates was formed, my lobbying firm.

Now I represent five different organizations and do advocacy work. This role evolved from my previous experiences. All of it stemmed from opportunities Sac State provided or the network I developed.

I also want to acknowledge the college chapters and alumni who helped and mentored me. I participated in CHESS, an advocacy day for CSU students. There was also a chapter called Lobby Corps on campus that taught the foundations of lobbying and how to track legislation.

This opened my understanding of the foundation of my role. I also played rugby, and surprisingly, a former rugby player reached out to me about my lobbying job. You never know how doors will open, but all of it played into how I ended up here today.