Valley Legislative Intern Scholars Summer 2024

Genesis Aguilar – CA Governor’s External Affairs Office – Genesis is a recent graduate from UC Merced where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. As an undocumented student, she is very passionate about immigration reform and policies that support the success of undocumented, first-generation, and low-income members of her community. As an undergraduate, she developed an interest in conducting research after taking a course on Data Analysis and went on to work as a research assistant for the PEARs Lab at UC Merced where she learned a lot about how collective action affects policy and political movements. In the next five years, she plans to enroll in law school and work in the Central Valley, as she considers this region and its community to be special and a great place to support the most vulnerable members of our communities. She is very excited to be working for Governor Gavin Newsom’s External Affairs Office to learn more about the ways in which policymakers structure their offices and serve their communities.

Meghna Das – Office of U.S. Representative Jim Costa – Meghna is a college graduate who received her Bachelor’s Degree in Public Health Administration in Spring 2024 from the California State University, Fresno. Meghna’s passion for policy and advocacy further deepened when she interned for U.S. Senator Alex Padilla in the Spring of 2023. Having lived in the Central Valley since the young age of two years old, Meghna is dedicated to addressing issues relevant to her community, such as legislative policy, public health rights, equity, and government reform. Meghna is also a recent alumna member of Kappa Alpha Theta, where she served on the executive board for a full term as Vice President, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She is excited to further her experience and knowledge this summer in Washington, D.C. while interning for U.S. Representative Jim Costa. After her internship, Meghna hopes to pursue law school in order to continue her journey in public service and advocacy. She hopes to later merge her knowledge of public health and legislation in order to pursue a career in politics, in hopes to advocate for positive change in the Central Valley.

Samanntha Eastton, Fresno Office of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla – Samanntha is a third-year, first-generation student at California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. She is currently a blended student and plans to graduate next year with both a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy. On campus, she is the Lead Peer Advisor in the College of Liberal Arts Advising Center and is a member of Phi Alpha Delta, a pre-law academic fraternity. She was born and raised in Chowchilla, California and looks to return to the Central Valley this summer to help better her community. After graduating, she plans to enter the workforce and soon after, pursue a Juris Doctorate degree. She is excited to work with Senator Padilla’s team and learn valuable skills to help her in her future endeavors.

Mallory Filkins, D.C. Office of U.S. Representative John Duarte – Mallory is a rising senior at California Polytechnic State University, SLO. Mallory is majoring in Agriculture Communications with a minor in Water Policy. Hailing from Bakersfield, California, Mallory’s roots in agriculture run deep. She actively participated in 4-H, showcasing her commitment to the industry from a young age, and honed her skills through hands-on work on her family’s farm. As a current Kappa Kappa Gamma Eta Rho member and a participant in the Big Little Mentor group, Mallory is deeply engaged in campus life and community service. Her passion for agriculture is palpable, and she is eager to expand her knowledge and expertise in the field. Mallory is excited about this opportunity as it is a chance to further her learning and contribute meaningfully to agricultural policy and advocacy. With her strong background and unwavering dedication, Mallory is poised to significantly impact the future of agriculture, particularly in water management.

Jack Howard, Office of Fresno City Council President Annalisa Perea – Jack Howard is an incoming junior at the University of California, San Diego, majoring in Data Analytics. Recently, Jack graduated from Fresno City College with associate degrees for transfer in Political Science and Law, Public Policy, and Society. During their time at Fresno City College, Jack excelled as a varsity and state champion-winning debater and holds lifetime memberships with Phi Theta Kappa and Alpha Gamma Sigma honor societies. Driven by a passion for making a tangible difference in the community, Jack focuses on environmental issues and local economic policies. Jack’s commitment to public service was evident during their tenure as a student trustee for Fresno City College’s Associated Student Government, where they also served as a student advisor on a committee examining the role of AI in education. Outside of campus, Jack serves as the Programming Director for the California College Democrats and was a delegate at the statewide endorsement convention. Their political involvement began in high school, having worked on various campaigns, lobbied for causes, and helped establish a free clothing closet at Fresno City College. Jack plans to apply to law school but is also exploring other avenues where their skills can drive impactful change, particularly at the intersection of technology and government. They are dedicated to giving back to the San Joaquin Valley’s Hispanic community, which has played a significant role in their personal and professional development.

Huabshiab Lee, Fresno Office of CA Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula – Huabshiab was born and raised in Fresno, CA. Huabshiab is a fourth-year student entering her fifth year at Fresno State majoring in Political Science and minoring in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies with the goal to become a political scientist professor, teaching politics and the politics of women at a university level. She is an ally of the LGBTQ+ community and has done research and participated in events regarding the LGBTQ+ community to expand her knowledge about the LGBTQ+ community. She has also been accepted into the COSS Honors Program at Fresno State and will be expected to graduate by Spring 2025. Huabshiab hopes that her education and her motivation to pursue a career in academia will help contribute to the growth and knowledge of her community, and challenge the minds of future students.

John Perez, Sacramento Office of CA Governor Gavin Newsom – John is a second-year undergraduate student at the University of California, Merced, majoring in Political Science. On campus, he is a member of the Pilipinx American Alliance (PAA), and has served on the Student Election Committee and as treasurer for Merced Pre-Law Society. In the past, he has worked to better his Valley community as an intern with Sacramento City Council Member Mai Vang and the legal nonprofit California Lawyers for the Arts. His upbringing as the child of two Filipino immigrants in the Sacramento area instilled the importance of education and community in his life. These values motivate him to uplift underserved groups at the intersection of law and public service. John is excited to intern for the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom in his hometown where he can develop skills necessary to improve the Central Valley.

Brielle Prock, D.C. Office of U.S. Representative David Valadao – Brielle Prock is a senior at Oklahoma State University pursuing Bachelor’s degrees in Agribusiness and Agricultural Communications. In addition, Brielle is a member of the Honors College working towards her general and departmental honors degrees. On campus, Brielle serves as a Career Liaison for the Ferguson College of Agriculture Student Success Leader team. Brielle was born into a family dairy-farm in Denair, CA, this has given her a first-hand understanding of the modern issues present within today’s constantly-evolving agricultural industry. While agriculture is her main passion, Brielle also has a passion for food allergy advocacy that has come from her own personal journey with food allergies. After graduating, she plans to further her education by attending law school focusing on environmental or water law. Her future career goal is to protect and conserve American Agriculture for future generations to come through policy, government relations, or law. Brielle is excited to work within Rep. Valadao’s office to gain practical insights on how they support the agricultural industry and learn bipartisan policy inside and out.

Martha Quijano, Office of Fresno City Councilmember Nelson Esparza – Martha is a junior at Fresno State currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Pre-Law Philosophy, along with a minor in General Business and a certificate of Social Justice and Social Change. Martha is a proud immigrant born and raised in Mexico who came to the Central Valley at a young age, a place that has become her home. After completing her Bachelor’s, she plans to attend Law School and obtain a Juris Doctor to fulfill her ultimate goal of giving back to the community as an immigration attorney. As an immigrant herself, she has encountered the obstacles migrants and minorities face first-hand. Martha hopes to gain valuable knowledge, policy and legislative insight throughout her Maddy Internship, as she continues to create a positive future impact in the Central Valley.

Sophia Rubalcaba, Sacramento Office of CA Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula – Sophia is a rising second-year at Fresno State double majoring in Philosophy Pre-Law and Political Science. Sophia is also a member of the Smittcamp Family Honors College. After graduating with her Bachelor’s degrees, she hopes to continue her education by going to law school to pursue a career as an immigration lawyer. Before coming to Fresno State she graduated from Fowler High School, where she was very involved in community organization and events. Sophia was a swim coach for the Fowler Seas Dragons Swim Team, in which she took much pride and joy in being able to coach the kids in Fowler and representing their community in swim meets all over the Central Valley. In her senior year of high school, she was crowned Fowler Fall Festival Queen, through which she fundraised $16,300 for the city of Fowler. These experiences influenced her desire to have a career as a lawyer as she hopes to be an advocate for her community. In the future, Sophia hopes that she will be able to continue to give back to Fowler. She hopes that this opportunity will provide her valuable knowledge and experiences that she can bring back to her community.

Daisy Salgado, Fresno Office of U.S. Representative David Valadao – Daisy is a fourth-year, first-generation student at California State University, Bakersfield, majoring in Economics with a minor in Political Science. She was born and raised in Bakersfield, CA. She has a strong interest in law and hopes to attend law school in the future. Being a part of the CSUB legal clinic, Daisy has had the opportunity to intern for a labor law firm and further her interest in this career field as well as participating in many events giving back to the community. She was a part of a CSUB expungement clinic offering free services to the community. Her goal is to come back and serve the Central Valley community. She is excited to be able to learn about public policy and understand the importance of state and local governance. Throughout her internship, she hopes to gain valuable insights and experience and become more involved in her community.

Cierra Sears, Modesto Office of Assemblymember Juan Alanis – Cierra is a second-year Master’s student at California State University, Stanislaus majoring in History. She is preparing to apply for PhD programs in California and wants to teach at the collegiate level following her graduation in 2025. She is originally from Fremont, California, but chose to move to the Central Valley after falling in love with the close community. As a first-generation student, she witnessed the inadequacies of learning opportunities for underprivileged and underperforming students, and decided to become a Graduate Assistant on campus, with the hope to help others fall in love with learning. She is proudly a member of the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Cierra is excited to be interning for Assemblymember Juan Alanis, and hopes to use her experience to remain proactive in her community.

Savera Sheikh, Fresno Office of U.S. Representative Jim Costa – Savera is a senior at Fresno State majoring in Biology and minoring in Computer Science. She is also a president’s scholar with the Smittcamp Family Honors College, where she currently serves on the Council of President’s Scholars. On campus, she is involved in various clubs including Camp Kesem, a nonprofit organization that helps support children through their parent’s cancer, where she has served as a camp counselor and served on the leadership team. These experiences, along with volunteering at the Fresno Needle Exchange, sparked an interest in public health and policy. She further developed an interest in public policy through her research on reducing carbon emissions in the Central Valley, where she was part of the winning team for Fresno State’s Destination Decarbonization Challenge. After graduating she plans to pursue a Master’s in Public Health. Through her internship, she hopes to gain valuable insight into the legislative process, policy research, and aid in one day implementing positive change in her community.

Valley Legislative Intern Scholars Spring 2024

Huda Alazani – Fresno Office of U.S. Representative Jim Costa – is a senior at Fresno State majoring in Political Science with the goal of pursuing law school after obtaining her bachelor’s degree. She is also a president’s scholar with the Smittcamp Family Honors College, where she currently serves as the president for the Council of President’s Scholars. On campus, Huda is a member of clubs such as Pi Sigma Alpha, the League of Women Voters, and she serves as the Vice President of the Students for Palestinian Liberation. In addition, she also works as a student assistant at the Maddy Institute. Huda is passionate about serving her community and believes in providing opportunities, which she hopes to achieve by becoming an immigration attorney in the future. Through her internship, she hopes to provide valuable insight, become more involved locally, and be of service to her community.

Yeyfer Andrade – Kings County Administrative Office

Yesenia Barajas – Modesto Office of Assemblymember Juan Alanis – is a fourth-year, first-generation student at California State University, Stanislaus majoring in Political Science. She is from San Jose, California, and later moved to Modesto, California. Her passion for politics grew when she decided to participate in activities on campus under the leadership of CADEM. This included visiting classes to teach students the importance of voting and helping them register to vote. Knowing that she was doing something to make a difference, as small as it may be, led her to discover that she wanted to pursue a future in public service. During the Fall 2023 semester, she had the opportunity to serve as a Congressional Intern for the Panetta Institute of Public Policy. With this experience, she spent a semester in Washington D.C. in the office of Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44). At the U.S. Capitol, she had the opportunity to develop her leadership skills, grow her network, and explore more of her passion for politics. Before graduating, she wanted to intern in a state office to deepen her understanding of state governance and policy in the Central Valley. She wants to help create a better future for her family, friends, and community. When she graduates, she hopes to obtain a Master’s degree in Public Administration and pursue a career in public policy.

Jackson Bonnar – Visalia Office of Assemblymember Devon Mathis – is a sophomore at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, majoring in political science. Jackson was born and raised in Tulare, California and devoted himself to his academics with a strong passion for politics, law, & US history. After college he looks to go into the field of politics as a diplomat. He is currently President of College Republicans and board member of Turning Point USA at his school, and regularly volunteers his time to local groups and communities. Jackson is excited to be working with Mr. Mathis’s office to learn the ins and outs of local government, and making the Central Valley a better place.

Juan Carlos Lara – Fresno Office of Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula – is a graduate student at California State University, Fresno pursuing his Master’s in Public Administration. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science in 2022 from the University of California, Merced. Juan was born and raised in Fresno, CA and desires to pay forward his education not just for his family but for the Central Valley, a community that holds the same experiences and physical/mental struggles he grew up witnessing. Raised by Mexican immigrants, he experienced first-hand the struggles low-income, first-generation, and Latinos encountered. He grew up in a family with very little understanding and interest in government and civic engagement but understood fear would transcend that when policies threatened immigrants like his parents with no guarantee that they could safely or fairly work nor spend time outside their home without fearing deportation. Ultimately, this influenced Juan’s interest to study and gain a better understanding of politics and subsequently pursue an education in how to manage/lead in the public and nonprofit sectors, with the goal of expanding his personal/professional growth and learning from and with his community. Juan is a dedicated and passionate individual about public administration and community empowerment who wishes to gain firsthand experience within the local legislative system and work with other community members with the dream of strengthening and supporting underrepresented communities in the Central Valley.

Lorraine Mireles Vega – Office of Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria

Rashel Olvera – Office of Senator Anna Caballero – is a senior at California State University, Fresno actively pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. Throughout her time at CSU Fresno, she has had the opportunity to be a part of many wonderful on-campus and off-campus organizations. For instance, she is incredibly proud to be a member of the National Political Science Honor Society, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, as well as a UCLA law fellow. After college, she has the goal of obtaining a Juris Doctor degree and having a career in immigration, hoping to assist individuals in their process of becoming official U.S. citizens. Her goal is to simplify complex legal matters as much as she possibly can to increase the likelihood of success for her future clients. She is very excited and she optimistically looks forward to giving back to her home, the Central Valley.

Rocio Robles – Governor Gavin Newsom, Office of Planning and Research – is a third-year student at the University of California, Merced. She is pursuing a degree in Political Science. Rocio was raised in Bakersfield, California. Her biggest passion is being able to give back to her community and help those around her. She currently serves as a Senator At-Large for the Associated Students of UC Merced where she collaborates with others to ensure that students feel comfortable to use their voice and fosters a welcoming environment for all. Rocio has interned for former Assemblymember Rudy Salas where she learned the importance of public policy and state governance. Witnessing firsthand the impact of legislative decisions on the lives of her community reinforced her commitment to becoming an agent of positive transformation. She is excited to have the opportunity to learn and grow through interning in the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. After graduating, Rocio hopes to go to law school and become a public defender to continue helping her community, especially those from a marginalized community.

Camalah Saleh – Fresno City Council Member Tyler Maxwell – is a second-year at California State University, Fresno double majoring in Political Science and Communication. Camalah is a member of the Smittcamp Family Honors College. Camalah’s passion for local politics has been shaped by firsthand experiences of its direct impact on our daily lives and is looking forward to learning more about its process. On campus, Camalah serves as the president of the League of Women Voters student unit where she works with others to increase voter participation among college students. Additionally, she proudly represents her community as a delegate for Assembly District 31 and serves as the Communication Director for the Arab-American Caucus. Camalah has also had the experience of working on the political campaigns of Anna Caballero, Manpreet Kaur, and the No on C Coalition during the 2022 general election. Beyond her political involvement, Camalah also works as a student assistant for the Maddy Institute. After obtaining her bachelor’s, Camalah plans to attend law school to become an immigration attorney. Her goal is to give back to her community by one day establishing an immigration law firm in Sanger, CA, the town her family immigrated to when she was three.

Natalia Sanchez – Office of Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria – is in her last semester of her final year as a fourth-year political science major with a minor in sociology attending the University of California, Merced. She was born and raised in the Central Valley, more specifically, from Modesto and has gained an understanding on the issues within the Central Valley firsthand. The issues she has witnessed throughout her community have shaped her into the person she is today seeking out a career within the legal or government field. As she approaches graduation, she hopes to better serve her community with the skills she has learned with attending the University of California, Merced and through the various experiences she has had on campus and off campus. She has gained skills through her job as a Lead Student Assistant at UC Merced’s Recycling and Waste Center helping the school’s mission to zero waste. She has also gained amazing experiences as the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity President, Coalition of Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) California Dream Network Intern, and as a volunteer in our University’s California Dream Resource Center. All these experiences have supported her goal to help individuals once she graduates, and hopes to work as an attorney or within public policy to ensure her community will be well-taken care of. She is excited to learn at Esmeralda Soria’s District Office in Merced and learn how constituent work within local politics works and learn how to best serve the Central Valley Community.

Gabriella Vides – Office of Kern County Supervisor David Couch — is in her second semester at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) while she obtains her Master of Public Administration degree. In May of 2023, she graduated from CSUB with her bachelor’s in Political Science, emphasizing American Politics and Power & Justice. After obtaining her master’s degree, her academic goal moves forward toward a doctoral degree in political science that will hopefully one day allow her to perform research in understanding political behavior in young people and how that is impacting politics within the United States. Being raised in Bakersfield, Gabriella has deep roots in this community, and she strives to be one of the people that actively makes it a better place for everyone.

Verania Vizcarra – Merced Office of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla – is a junior at the University of California, Merced majoring in Political Science. Verania is a first-generation student from Watsonville, California, a predominantly Latino community. Growing up she experienced first-hand the struggles low-income, first-generation, Latino, and women experience. Verania understood the disparity in resources that underrepresented communities faced. Her drive for social change has pushed her to become more active on campus by becoming the president of the Democrats at UC Merced and involving herself in local political campaigns. Through these experiences, Verania was able to make connections with organizations such as CADEMS and local politicians. She was able to develop her leadership skills and start creating her network. She is passionate about accessibility to housing, immigration rights, women’s rights, social justice, and the environment. She hopes to pursue a career in politics to help bring change to her communities and those alike.