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Maricela Rodriguez
"In public service, you can't just point out problems - you need solutions."
I am the proud daughter of immigrant farmworkers
I grew up in a small rural community in California's Central Valley. I never imagined I'd end up working in the Governor's office.
My journey to Sacramento started after I graduated college. I deferred a graduate program for higher education administration at Columbia for the Executive Fellowship Program. I was placed at the California Community Chancellor’s Office where I saw an opportunity to make a real difference through public service. As my fellowship was ending, an opportunity to work for First Lady Maria Shriver opened up. Working for Maria was a turning point.
As part of helping to develop her anti-poverty initiative, WE Connect, I learned about communications, strategy, and community engagement. It was incredibly rewarding to see the direct impact of the 'WeConnect' events that brought together resources for lower-income families. Maria also reinforced how important it was to make people feel seen, heard, cared for, and respected. That was not only inspiring but a lesson I’ve taken with me everywhere I have gone in my career in public service.
Now, as Senior Advisor for Civic Engagement and Strategic Partnerships, I continue to try and bridge the gap between government and communities like the one I grew up in. I work closely with staff in the Governor's Office, agencies and departments to provide strategic communications and outreach insights to help tackle some of the state’s most pressing issues. I focus on underserved communities who are often hard to reach and don’t always trust government. Whether it's census outreach, vaccine information, or extreme heat, it's all about making government work better for people.
That is why I am so proud to have helped lead the Governor’s budget proposals to establish the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications (OCPSC) and the Governor’s Office for Service and Community Engagement (GO Serve). GO Serve will engage Californians in service, volunteering, and civic action through OCPSC, California Volunteers, and the Youth Empowerment Commission.
"How do we overcome this?” That's the question I always ask. In public service, you can't just point out problems - you need solutions. I learned this working for First Lady Maria Shriver. We never just said, “Here are the problems.” It was always, “Here are the problems, and here's what we can do about them.” That mindset has stayed with me throughout my career.
Now, in Governor Newsom's administration, innovation is key. We constantly challenge ourselves to think outside the box and learn from what worked as well as what didn’t work. During COVID, when everything seemed impossible, we had to find ways to cut through red tape and get things done. That's what I love about this work. We get to color outside the lines, try new things, and come up with exciting partnerships because we know government can’t do it alone.
One of our recent innovations is the Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications (OCPSC). It's built on lessons learned from our census and COVID outreach. I also helped lead the Governor’s budget proposal to establish the Governor’s Office for Service and Community Engagement (GO Serve) which will house OCPSC, California Volunteers and the Youth Empowerment Commission. Even in tough budget times, we're finding ways to create efficiencies and be innovative.
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Public service isn't always easy. There's bureaucracy, there are setbacks. But when you see a family get the help they need, when you see a community safer and healthier because of your work - that's what keeps you going.
I often think about my parents, hardworking immigrant farmworkers who didn’t speak English, as my barometer when thinking through my community engagement strategy.
Every time we launch a new initiative or find a creative solution to a problem, my hope is that we're making life better and more equitable for families like mine.
Innovation in government is possible. It just takes persistence, creativity, and always asking, “How can we make this work?"
"You can do this.” That's what I tell young women starting out in government. I remember how overwhelming it felt when I first moved to Sacramento. Now, I find it very rewarding to mentor others.
Some advice I always share is that it’s ok to change course. My path wasn't straightforward. I started with an interest in higher education, ended up in an executive fellowship program, then worked for First Lady Maria Shriver. Each step was a leap into the unknown, but each taught me something valuable.
Another lesson learned is the importance of bringing your whole self to work. Your background - whatever it is - is an asset. My upbringing in a small, rural community informs everything I do. In public service, having people from diverse backgrounds weigh in through their unique perspectives is invaluable. Their lived experience and background helps shape innovative solutions.
My parents often serve as a barometer for me especially when I’m trying to reach immigrant, Spanish speaking communities who don’t always trust the government. When I worked at The California Endowment, our strategy to help inform people about new health coverage options under the ACA (Affordable Care Act) included tactics to reach Spanish speaking families. There was a real fear from mixed status families about enrolling into Medi-Cal (Medicaid). In response, I helped coordinate a first-of-its-kind, nationally broadcast town hall with President Obama in partnership with Univision, Telemundo and impreMedia. President Obama reassured viewers about how their information would not be shared and encouraged them to enroll.
One of my most fulfilling experiences when working with First Lady Maria Shriver was leading her agenda for a trade mission to Mexico. One of the stops included a visit to an immigrant shelter where we brought medical supplies. I was also thrilled that I got to put my Spanish into action but it also felt like a full circle moment as I thought about my Mexican roots and the struggles my own parents faced.
I also remind my mentees that public service is not always easy, but it's incredibly fulfilling. Working on the pandemic response was incredibly exhausting and stressful, but it will also be some of the most important work I’ll have ever done because it was about saving lives. It’s always important to pause and reflect on the impact you are making because it can be difficult to take a beat when you are moving from one issue, event or crisis to another.
