Click to Noelia's LinkedIn page to learn more.

Maria advocates for others by inspiring and giving a voice to those who may not have a seat at the table. She is a leader in supporting the local community and charitable issues across Ventura County. This includes providing charitable donations to local organizations such as Food Share, food and necessity donations to farm workers, and assisting with grants and donations to provide low-income families in Ventura County access to affordable energy service.

"We honor distinguished business leaders like Maria Ventura – those who lead with heart and are committed to helping others succeed along the way”, said Pattie Braga, Executive Director of Ventura County Leadership Academy (VCLA). “Maria exemplified VCLA’s mission – local leaders working together to impact change in our community so that everyone can thrive.”

Giving back to the community is the right thing to do and I am grateful to work for SoCalGas which encourages my volunteerism.” said Maria Ventura. “I am humbled and honored and consider this recognition as a testament of perseverance- my own and the generations of women before me. I often tell young people and community members I meet with that they can accomplish anything – sometimes, we just have to give them the opportunities and tools to do so”.

As senior public affairs manager for SoCalGas, Maria leads community and government affairs efforts on behalf of the utility throughout Ventura County. In 2013, Maria joined SoCalGas and has held a variety of increasingly responsible roles within regional public affairs and stakeholder outreach. Prior to joining SoCalGas, her distinguished career included public and private sector experience with expertise in government and community affairs, bilingual media relations, and philanthropic giving.

In 2017, Maria was named a “Latina of Influence” by Hispanic Lifestyle, a nationally syndicated PBS program that profiles influential and notable Latina community leaders and received the Pacific Coast Business Times’s “Top 50 Women in Business” and “Latinos in Business” awards for her outstanding professional accomplishments and commitment to improving the community.

Maria serves on several community boards including the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Ventura, Girl Scouts of California’s Central Coast and El Concilio.

Maria is an alumna of San Diego State University and received a Master of Science in Public Administration from California State University, Los Angeles.

In her free time, she enjoys golfing, traveling, and spending time with her husband Jose, son Diego and beloved family dog Maya.

Pitzer College has named Kimberly Shiner, a proven leader in higher education fundraising and external relations, as its new vice president for college advancement and communications effective August 1. Shiner was selected in May following a competitive national search.

Read more here.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO LEAD?
By being authentic and not trying to fit into a particular mold. Risk taking is important. Remembering to be grateful for every opportunity that you are given to work as a servant leader in different organizations or the community as a whole. To be a voice for women, for minorities, for those who are underserved. That’s what matters most to me. I see myself as a combination of both of my parents. I am a fearless leader and I embrace the feminine side of me. I don't necessarily want to take on the dominant male attributes that people often expect in a leader. That’s not authentically how I'm created as a person or a leader.

Read more here. 

Watch this NBC interview with #LeadershipCalifCIT 2010 alumna, Audrey Yamamoto regarding her organization and Solidarity Fund.

We invite you to stand in solidarity with the #AAPI community and support nonprofits that are addressing anti-Asian racism.

Tom began her state service career as the deputy director for strategic planning, broadband and digital literacy at the California Department of Technology and has more than 20 years of experience working with local API organizations. She currently serves on the board of directors for Asian Resources, Inc., as an advisory board member for My Sister’s House and has worked with the California Asian Chamber of Commerce and on the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs steering committee.

Read more here. 

The Chief Clerk of the California State Assembly is one of three nonmember, nonpartisan officers elected by the Members of the Assembly at the beginning of each two-year session. The Chief Clerk serves as the Parliamentarian of the House. Under the direction of the Chief Clerk, the Chief Clerk’s Office is responsible for publishing the official documents of the House; and keeping all the bills, papers, and records of the proceedings of the Assembly.

Let's kick off Women's History Month - a month-long celebration of women - by commemorating alumna Debbie Manning! If you didn't know, Ms. Manning is the first woman and African American to be elected as an officer of the California State Senate. 

Ms. Manning is a fearless leader in promoting and mentoring women. She encourages women to 'go for it' and to not wait for permission that may never come. 

Debbie Manning was appointed to the position of Chief Sergeant-at-Arms in August 2014 and is the first woman to hold this important position.

Debbie first joined the Office of the Senate Sergeant-at-Arms in 1977, where she was not only the first woman, but the first African-American woman to become a Senate Sergeant. In September 1998, Debbie went on to become the first female Deputy Chief and has performed numerous and diverse assignments throughout her career.

Debbie attended the University of California, Davis where she graduated with a major in Political Science and a minor in Public Service/Administration. She is Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) certified through the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Academy, and attended Law Enforcement Command College. She holds POST certificates in Law Enforcement Management, Background Investigation, Domestic Violence, and Interview and Interrogation.

Debbie attended numerous International and Domestic Terrorism trainings through the Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security, Los Angeles Police Department, and California Department of Corrections. She received Threat Assessment training through the Secret Service, US Capitol Security, United States Homeland Security, and New York Police Department. Further, Debbie attended Protection of Public Officials and Executive courses through the Secret service, California Highway Patrol, and California State Police. She also instructed and consulted on this course.

Debbie has worked closely with the Office of Emergency Services (OES) in emergency management and continuity of government. She also worked with the Capitol Building Emergency Plan (CBEP) to design and execute Capitol and Legislative Office Building disaster exercises.

As a member of the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP), Debbie has served as Vice President of the Northern California chapter and is a member of the National Legislative Services and Security Association (NLSSA) of the National Conference of State Legislature (NCSL). She was also appointed by the Senate to serve as a council member of the California Council on Criminal Justice from 2009-2011.

Leadership California recognized Debbie as one of California’s leading women. She graduated from Leadership California’s CIT program in 2002, and became an Executive Board member in 2005. Debbie was elected Vice President in 2007, and soon after, became President of the non-profit in 2009. She currently sits on the Executive Board of Advisory Council for Leadership California.

Debbie is extremely proud of her more than three decades of service to the Senate and the people of the State of California, and approaches her role as Chief Sergeant with strength and integrity.