As president and founder of Navegate, Inc. -- a social equity consulting firm assisting clients in the areas of advocacy, Latino engagement, public affairs, and government relations – Ms. Vega was retained by the American Red Cross Los Angeles (ARCLA) to develop its inaugural community organizing campaign to increase disaster preparedness and resiliency in L.A.’s most vulnerable communities. Additionally, she increased Red Cross LA’s profile and relationships with all branches of government and community leaders. Consequently, she joined the executive team as Chief Strategy & External Relations Officer where she currently provides strategic advice to the CEO on community engagement, government relations, crisis management, and public affairs. She also manages the relationships with the largest Latino organizations on behalf of the national headquarters.
Previously, Ms. Vega was a Senior Advocacy Consultant at the Ibarra Strategy Group in Washington, D.C. – a government and public affairs firm where she handled intergovernmental support, external communications, Latino outreach, and political affairs. Before moving to D.C., she served as Executive Director of the Office of the Census 2010 in the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. In this capacity, she developed a highly successful citywide educational and community outreach campaign to ensure the complete count of L.A. residents. Prior to joining the Mayor's office, Ms. Vega worked at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) in various positions. In her capacity as a parent and youth organizer, she ensured the construction of two school complexes.
Ms. Vega has dedicated her career to advocating and organizing for social justice issues and enhancing the quality of life for under-served communities. She continues to support several non-profits and advocacy campaigns. She is an American Marshall Memorial Fellow. Additionally, she has participated in visitation programs to South Korea and Mexico. Ms. Vega graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, Law & Society from the University of California, Irvine. She was born in Mexico and raised in Los Angeles where she currently resides.