Celinda Vázquez is the Director of Public Affairs for Planned Parenthood Los Angeles (PPLA) and The Planned Parenthood Advocacy Project Los Angeles County (PPAP). PPLA provides convenient, affordable access to a comprehensive range of quality reproductive health care services and sexual health information, through direct patient services, education, and advocacy. PPAP serves as the political arm of Planned Parenthood Los Angeles. Ms. Vázquez and her team lead and engage in legislative and electoral activity including advocacy, education campaigns, grassroots organizing, and electioneering in an effort to ensure access to reproductive health care for all.
Prior to joining PPLA, Ms. Vázquez was an Assistant Director for University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) State Government Relations. In this capacity she advocated on behalf of UCLA before the State Legislature. In her first year as Assistant Director, she led the first annual UCLA Corporate Advocacy Day in Sacramento, which included several high-powered CEO’s who articulated the need for a greater investment in higher education. Additionally, she has assisted faculty in securing legislator support from proposition funding for cutting edge research initiatives. Ms. Vázquez has also successfully served as the lead for UCLA’s Annual Sacramento Advocacy Day, which focuses on protecting the UC budget and programs such as Academic Preparation.
As a former Senior Legislative Aide to California State Senator Martha Escutia, Ms.Vázquez possesses a strong background in the state legislative and budgetary processes. During her tenure with the California Legislature, her duties evolved from serving as a California Senate Fellow to assuming the role of Principal Consultant to the Legislative Women’s Caucus. Ms. Vázquez has managed issues in the policy areas of children’s health, human services, immigration, language access rights, housing and women’s issues. She has extensive experience in public policy research, proposing and analyzing legislation, coalition building, designing strategic community outreach efforts and interacting with various levels of local and international governments.
Driven by a commitment to social justice, Ms. Vázquez’s community involvement focuses on empowering disadvantaged communities through education, advocacy, political engagement, and ethical leadership. She has been involved in numerous community groups including Stop Genocide Now, EMILY’S List, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and, Human Rights Watch (Children's Rights Division). In addition, she serves on the California Board of Psychology and is a member of the California Latino Legislative Caucus Institute’s Madrinas Padrinos Leadership Program’s Committee.
Ms. Vázquez is a native of New York and was raised in Inglewood, California. She attended San Diego State University (SDSU) as a first generation college student, became the first Latina Student Body President and obtained a Bachelor’s of Arts Degrees in Social Work and Chicana/o Studies. Ms. Vazquez currently resides in Hawthorne, is married to George Avalos and they have one son, Joaquin Mateo Avalos.
