California State SenateCandidate for District 16

I have more than 25 years of extensive legislative and political experience.  I spent ten years, working on behalf of Central Valley residents, for U.S. Congressman Cal Dooley (retired), was elected to the California State Assembly and appointed to a high- level position within the Business, Transportation and Housing agency by Governor Schwarzenegger.  I graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1992 with a B.A. in Economics. In 1998, I earned a J.D. from the Catholic University School of Law in Washington D.C. After working for Governor Schwarzenegger, I returned to the Central Valley in 2009, where I started my own company, NMP Consulting. My company provided clients in the Central Valley, strategic planning, government relations and communication services.  I also served on a handful of community and non-profit boards including Self-Help Enterprises (Tulare County), Fresno County Foodbank, Hispanic Chamber Government Relations Committee (Kern County), Stop the Violence (Kern County) and Latina Leaders of Kern County (Founding Board Member). 

I have been recognized over the years by my community and academic institutions including the Mark Bingham Award for Excellence in Achievement by U.C. Berkeley in 2006 and in 2017, I was inducted into the first class of the Highland High School Alumni Hall of Fame. In 2014, I was hired as an Adjunct Professor at California State University Bakersfield where I was an instructor for American Government and Politics, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties courses for two years.  In 2016, I was hired as the campaign manager for the Measure J Campaign for the Kern Community College District, a $500M school bond that passed with a 2/3 vote.  Bakersfield College received $415M for various improvement and construction projects across the campus including, a Veterans Resource Center, Campus Center, and updates to Memorial Stadium. From 2017-2022, I worked as the Manager of Government Relations for Marathon Petroleum Corporation. In January 2022, I resigned from my job to focus full-time on my campaign for State Senate.

Growing up in Bakersfield, I learned about the importance and privilege of public service. My parents taught me to serve others wherever and whenever possible. They worked hard to provide me tools for success. And for my entire 30 years working in public service, I've worked to provide tools for success for others, as a teacher, a volunteer, a legislator, and a neighbor.

To me, Public Service is not a job.  It is a necessary and honorable way of life. The Southern San Joaquin Valley feeds our nation and keeps our economy moving. Our community should have the resources and opportunities we need to live the American dream. To attain these resources and opportunities, we need elected leaders who are experienced, disciplined, and effective. 

I want to help remove obstacles and create opportunities for every individual in the valley to meet their potential and achieve their own American dreams. That's why I'm running.