FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Nathaly Juarez | [email protected] | 559-281-6116
Communities for a New California Education Fund Appoints Hatzune Aguilar as Executive Director
The Board of Directors of Communities for a New California Education Fund is pleased to announce the appointment of Hatzune Aguilar as Executive Director, effective July 13, 2026.
Aguilar's appointment comes at a pivotal moment for the organization following the untimely passing of founding Executive Director Pablo Rodríguez, whose visionary leadership established Communities for a New California as a leading force in grassroots organizing, civic engagement, and advancing political power in California's rural communities and communities of color. Rodríguez built an enduring foundation rooted in community, leadership development, and year-round organizing—a legacy that continues to guide the organization's mission and future.
As California’s political future continues to be shaped by working families, immigrant communities, Latinas, young people, and historically underrepresented voters, CNC remains committed to the foundation Pablo built: investing in people, developing local leaders, and organizing from the ground up across the rural areas of California, like the Central Valley and Coachella Valley.
A seasoned leader in civic engagement, organizational strategy, and public service, Aguilar brings more than two decades of experience advancing equity through nonprofit leadership, electoral campaigns, coalition building, and government. Having worked closely with Rodríguez and the CNC team for many years, she is uniquely positioned to build upon the strong organizational foundation he created while leading the organization into its next chapter.
Aguilar previously served as CNC’s Director of Strategic Engagement from 2018 to 2024, helping shape statewide civic engagement strategies, multi-county voter engagement programs, and campaigns, including Lúcete Latina and Mujeres al Poder, which collectively reached more than 500,000 households across California.
Throughout her career, Aguilar has built a reputation for bringing together diverse partners, developing high-performing teams, securing transformational funding, and translating community voices into meaningful policy and electoral outcomes. Most recently, Aguilar served as Stakeholder and Community Engagement Manager at the California Department of Health Care Services, where she led statewide stakeholder engagement efforts, advised executive leadership on community engagement strategy, and developed systems that strengthened transparency, accessibility, and public participation in state policymaking.
"Hatzune is the right leader at the right time for Communities for a New California," said Alegría De La Cruz, Chair of the CNC Education Fund Board of Directors. "She brings a deep understanding of our mission, our communities, and our values.”
Aguilar said, "I am deeply honored to serve as Executive Director of Communities for a New California. I share CNC’s belief that lasting change comes from investing in people, building community leadership in coalition, and organizing year-round to transform systems. Pablo’s leadership and mentorship shaped those of us who have had the privilege of working alongside him, and I am committed to honoring that legacy by building power with our communities and ensuring that the next generation of leaders has the opportunity to shape California's future."
The Board of Directors also expressed deep gratitude for the leadership of Interim Executive Director Melissa Vargas and for her ability to carry the organization's collective pain while continuing CNC's transformative work. Melissa will continue her leadership at CNC as Director of Policy.
As Executive Director, Aguilar will lead both the Education Fund and Action Fund, overseeing strategic planning, organizational development, fundraising, and program implementation while advancing the organizations' shared mission of building the civic and political power of historically underrepresented Californians.
The Board of Directors extend their sincere appreciation to the CNC team, partners, supporters, and community leaders whose dedication has strengthened Communities for a New California over the years.
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Communities for a New California Education Fund is building a new power in the San Joaquin, Coachella, and Imperial valleys by inspiring working-class Californians to engage, activate and fight for social change in their neighborhoods. With the help of staff and volunteers from the very neighborhoods we serve, CNC EF organizes and mobilizes residents on public policy issues that impact our rural families and organizes to improve our neighborhoods.