Aura Vasquez
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ra Vasquez brings to over ten years of experience working with multiple stakeholders from government, private sector, and diverse communities. Earning a degree in Political Science in NYC, she worked as a Political Advisor at Congressman Eliot Engel’s office in 2005. Her public policy experience led her a position at United Way of NYC where she advocated for closing the achievement gap in NYC’s most vulnerable communities and managed the Dropout Prevention Initiative. She is an experienced organizer on environmental issues related to communities most affected. She recently design, lead, and coordinated the Southern California Advocate for Clean Air (SCACA). In March of 2014, Aura and the efforts of Mayor Villaraigosa, Sierra Club, and a citywide coalition led to the announcement that beginning in 2025, LA will be coal-free. This makes LA the largest city to go coal-free in the nation and puts Los Angeles on the international map as one of five cities fighting climate change around the world. Aura also helped spearhead the ban of single-use plastic bags in Los Angeles, along with a coalition of environmental, community-based organizations, legislators and stakeholders. Aura currently serves as Vice-president on the Executive Board of the Wilshire Center Koreatown Neighborhood Council, and recently graduated from Leadership, organizing, and change at the Harvard Kennedy School.