MERCEDES VALENZUELA
California State Senate, Office of Senator Mike McGuire
California
4
years of professional experience
California political, policy, and campaign professional with experience supporting senior elected leadership, managing candidate advance and campaign operations, and navigating the state legislative process. Experienced coordinating statewide political and official travel, high-profile public appearances, press events, stakeholder engagements, and elected official participation while advising senior leadership on complex policy issues. Brings strong political judgment, extensive California stakeholder experience, and the ability to move seamlessly between policy, politics, communications, advance, and operations.
Work History
Advance & Operations Manager
10 Months- Lead candidate advance and campaign operations across Northern California, coordinating travel, public appearances, fundraisers, community meetings, stakeholder roundtables, political events, and other campaign engagements.
- Advance venues and events from initial planning through execution, including site logistics, run of show, candidate movement, transportation, staffing, materials, vendors, host coordination, and contingency planning.
- Travel with and support the candidate on the road, anticipating principal needs, managing schedule transitions, troubleshooting in real time, and coordinating closely with scheduling, political, finance, communications, and field teams.
- Prepare advance memos, briefing materials, itineraries, staff agendas, participant lists, and local context for candidate engagements with elected officials, community leaders, organizations, donors, and other stakeholders.
- Maintain relationships with local elected officials, political stakeholders, event hosts, community organizations, and campaign partners throughout a large and politically diverse congressional district.
- Track event and stakeholder follow-up and help build campaign systems and infrastructure that support an intensive statewide-style travel and engagement schedule.
Legislative Aide
10 Months- Manage a broad legislative portfolio including elections and constitutional amendments, technology, energy, judiciary, education, agriculture, human services, veterans affairs, and other policy areas.
- Analyze legislation, amendments, regulations, fiscal and political impacts, and stakeholder positions; provide recommendations and concise policy briefings to senior leadership.
- Work with state agencies, legislative offices, local governments, labor, advocates, industry representatives, and community organizations to identify concerns, negotiate policy issues, and advance office priorities.
- Prepare bill analyses, talking points, correspondence, background materials, hearing preparation, and other policy communications for legislative and stakeholder engagements.
- Track committee hearings, legislative deadlines, and stakeholder positions in a fast-moving environment.
Assistant to the President Pro Tempore
1 Year 9 Months- Advanced official and political appearances throughout California, coordinating site logistics, schedules, principal movement, transportation, security considerations, event timing, elected official participation, hosts, venues, staff, and external partners.
- Traveled extensively with the Senate Leader and managed on-the-ground execution of high-profile events, press conferences, community visits, stakeholder meetings, ceremonies, and other public engagements.
- Coordinated directly with members of the Legislature, constituent offices, local elected officials, government agencies, political stakeholders, community organizations, labor, businesses, media, and senior staff across California.
- Prepared briefing materials, remarks, talking points, correspondence, press releases, and media advisories, ensuring the Senate Leader was prepared with relevant policy, political, participant, and community context.
- Worked across the Senate Leader’s legislative, communications, scheduling, district, and executive teams, exercising discretion and political judgment in a high-pressure environment with rapidly changing priorities.
Legislative Aide
1 Year 2 Months- Managed stakeholder and constituent outreach and worked with government offices, advocates, community organizations, and other partners on legislative and district priorities.
- Conducted legislative research and policy analysis, supported bill and issue development, tracked committee hearings and legislative deadlines, and prepared recommendations and briefing materials.
- Supported public events, correspondence, scheduling, and special projects while building a strong working knowledge of the California legislative process.
Office Assistant
5 Months- Supported Capitol office operations, constituent services, scheduling, and legislative administration.
- Preparing, tracking, and filing required documentation to ensure timely FPPC compliance.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - History
Skills
Campaign Advance & Operations
Statewide Travel & Event Advance
Public Appearances & Press Events
Candidate Support
Political & Stakeholder Engagement
Legislative & Policy Analysis
Political and Legislative Research
Community/Grassroots Outreach
Press Releases & Media Advisories
Strategic Writing
Executive Briefings
Cross-Team Coordination
California Politics & Government
Voter Engagement
Legislative Member Portfolio
Legistar
FPPC Compliance
Timeline
Advance & Operations Manager
Mike McGuire for Congress
11.2025 - CurrentRead More
Legislative Aide
California State Senate, Office of Senator Mike McGuire
11.2025 - CurrentRead More
Assistant to the President Pro Tempore
California State Senate
02.2024 - 11.2025Read More
Legislative Aide
California State Senate
12.2022 - 02.2024Read More
Office Assistant
California State Senate
07.2022 - 12.2022Read More
California State University, Stanislaus
Bachelor of Arts from History
Read More
POLITICAL & CAMPAIGN EXPERIENCE
Campaign and volunteer experience dating back to 2016 across presidential, state legislative, Senate Democratic Caucus, and ballot-measure campaigns, including voter outreach, canvassing, phone banking, field operations, community engagement, GOTV activities, event support, and coordination with candidates, elected officials, campaign staff, and volunteers.