Anna Lisa grew up in the small rural community of Thermal, located in the Eastern Coachella Valley. At a young age, she learned about the importance of service to others, a commitment that has only continued to blossom. Anna Lisa’s love of community and passion for advancing the greater good and social justice led her to be a part of Communities for a New California’s creation in 2011 as a founding board member.
Anna Lisa was a previous school board member of the Coachella Valley Unified School District. Her political acumen, experience engaging community members, and supporting community leaders have made her an integral member of the CNC team. As a lead community organizer, Anna Lisa oversaw the integrated leadership development and mass voter engagement strategy efforts in the Coachella Valley from 2017 through 2024 and now works in the Merced office. She also serves as the co-chair of the Lift to Rise Resident Leadership Table, increasing civic engagement in support of affordable Housing.
Through a partnership with the University of California Irvine Program in Public Health and CNC (2022-2024), Anna Lisa was part of a team that examined the health impacts of short-term repeated exposure to wildfire smoke in the unincorporated communities of the eastern Coachella Valley. She is a co-author in the journal Science of the Total Environment, Wildfire Risk Perception and Communication in Disadvantaged Communities: Insights from Eastern Coachella Valley in Southern California.
Anna Lisa provided compelling public testimony at the state capital to advocate on behalf of Assembly Bill 1441 (2025-2026), authored by Assemblywoman Soria and co-sponsored by CNC Action Fund, which establishes an Independent Citizen’s Redistricting Commission in Merced County. Assembly Bill 1441 ensures that the redistricting process is transparent, democratic, and community-centered.
Anna Lisa is co-leading an advocacy campaign on behalf of affordable housing and increasing funding to the Affordable Housing Program in the Merced County budget. She provides support to families and members in delivering public comments during budget hearings and building their capacity to advocate for their priority needs. She has developed relationships with the Merced County Board of Supervisors, provided reliable data on the impacts of the affordable housing crisis, and uplifted opportunities to prioritize affordable housing.
Anna Lisa is a mother and certified medical Qi Gong instructor. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Anthropology from the University of California, Irvine.