Judy Yee, photo by Scott Duncan photographyJudy Yee, legislative director for Assemblymember Luz Rivas, isn’t just focused on her own career. She is looking to lift up those who have come behind her.
Emma Manoukian Chung, photo by Scott Duncan, Capitol WeeklyIf anyone is up for a good challenge, it’s Emma Manoukian Chung. At 23 years old, Manoukian Chung had her sights set on a job at Bicker, Castillo, Fairbanks & Spitz Public Affairs (BCFS). Sure enough, they weren’t hiring. Undeterred, she pitched herself to the team, and before long, she was working on some of
Maxie Holmberg-Douglas has had a passion for public speaking and storytelling from the age of 11, when she competed to be the local rodeo queen of her small town. Now at just 27 she is drawing high praise as the Director of Communications for the California Senate Republican Caucus.
Cynthia Alvarez, image by Scott Duncan PhotographyFor Cynthia Alvarez, chief of staff to Sen. Lena Gonzalez, has had an affinity for helping people since her childhood growing up in Inglewood.
Monika Lee, photo by Scott Duncan PhotographyMonika Lee’s story showcases many of the possible avenues for creating meaningful change in Sacramento. In her five years in the community, Lee has moved up the ranks in three different organizations and worked with a variety of issue areas, letting her passion for equity guide her along the way.
Kapri Walker, photo by Scott Duncan PhotographyBorn and raised in an exceptionally close family in sunny San Diego, Kapri Walker was initially hesitant to take the leap and begin building career roots in Sacramento. But our latest Capitol Weekly Rising Star couldn’t pass up the opportunity to return after her Capitol Fellowship position ended and she was offered a job as a legislative aide in Sen. Nancy Skinner’s office (D-Oakland).
Lucia Saldivar, photo by Scott Duncan PhotographyGrowing up in San Ysidro, just this side of the California-Mexico border, Lucia Saldivar thought she was going to be a musician, like her father. “Music always helped me make sense of the world and my community,” she says. “Then in high school, I learned a new language to help make sense of the world around me, and that was politics and policy.”
Cassidy Denny, image by Scott Duncan PhotographyCassidy Denny, Legislative Director to Senator Angelique Ashby, did not envision joining the policy world when she was recruited to Colorado State University to play volleyball as an undergraduate. It wasn’t until Denny learned about the policies behind slavery and other tragedies involving Black history on a learn and serve trip to Ghana that Denny realized that she wanted to pursue a career in justice.
Allison Lim, photo by Scott DuncanLim describes herself as a problem solver, a decision maker, and as someone who enjoys being intellectually challenged. She evaluates her career based on whether these attributes are encouraged and whether her opinions are respected. That, Allison said, is how she ended up working with Assemblymember Lee.
Michael Dyar, photo by Scott Duncan, Capitol WeeklyMichael Dyar, 28 is legislative director for Assemblymember Damon Connolly, D-San Rafael, where his duties include crafting legislative packages, overseeing co-author requests and training new staff.