Vanessa currently works for state Senator Connie M. Leyva who represents California’s 20th Senate District. She began her political career working for the late Senator Nell Soto and then proceeded to work for Congressman Joe Baca. She has worked on behalf of the Democratic National Committee as well as the Presidential Inauguration Committee (PIC) as a Finance Staff Member overseeing the successful implementation of the Democratic National Convention Finance Operation in Denver and Charlotte as well as the 2013 PIC Finance Operation. She has been a dedicated volunteer for a statewide non-profit, the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project, for over fifteen years and currently sits on its board. She is the mother of a Boston College Eagle, Vanessa J. Ruiz-Wiarco, and is a dedicated runner, hiker, reader and traveler. She has a passion for family, politics and life in general.