LOS ANGELES – Mayor Karen Bass today announced her Administration’s Deputy Mayor of Community Engagement, Senior Advisor and Director of Neighborhood Services and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs.
“Community engagement is vital to the success of each initiative led by this office,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “If we want to solve homelessness and make Los Angeles safer and more livable for all, the people of this City must be involved. I look forward to seeing what’s to come.”
Jared Rivera, Deputy Mayor of Community Engagement – Jared Rivera leads community engagement where he develops strategic partnerships, and ensures high-quality constituent service. He joined the Administration earlier this month. Mr. Rivera joins the Bass administration after more than 20 years of experience as a community and labor organizer, coalition builder and political strategist. In his most recent role as Political Director of SEIU 2015, Mr. Rivera oversaw and directed the union’s statewide political program where he worked to elect labor and progressive leaders across every region and level of government within the state. Prior to his role at SEIU 2015, Mr. Rivera served as the Labor Director of Hillary for California & Nevada, where he liaised between endorsing unions in two states and the Presidential campaign. In addition to his work within the labor movement, Mr. Rivera has been an active member and Board Co-Chair of the Liberty Hill Foundation, the largest funder of grassroots community organizing in Los Angeles. Mr. Rivera started his organizing career in Los Angeles in the early 2000s as the Executive Director of LA Voice – an interfaith community organizing effort part of the PICO national network, where he engaged thousands of Angelenos around issues of tenant protections, citizenship drives, access to healthcare and immigration reform.
Jacqueline Hamilton, Senior Advisor and Director of Neighborhood Services – Jacqueline Hamilton leads Neighborhood Services in the Mayor’s Office where she oversees six City departments: Recreation and Parks (programs); the L.A. Public Library; the L.A. Zoo; L.A. Animal Services; El Pueblo Cultural Monument; and the Department of Cultural Affairs. She assumed this position in May. Ms. Hamilton worked for more than 9 years for then-Congresswoman Karen Bass, where she served as District Director. Prior to that, Ms. Hamilton served for eight years as Executive Director of the Education Consortium of Central Los Angeles, connecting kindergarten through 12th grade educators with local museum, college and community resources. During the Clinton Administration she worked for the Natural Resources Defense Council in Washington, D.C. on domestic and international issues related to women’s health, toxic waste clean-up and pesticide regulation. She returned to Los Angeles in 2000 to direct the L.A. Environmental Justice Project Office for the Environmental Defense Fund. She has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including Kitty Bungalow and 24th Street Theatre. Ms. Hamilton has represented her neighborhood on the Empowerment Congress North Area Neighborhood Development Council, and co-founded the PTA at the Alexander Science Center School. She holds a B.A. in Theater from UCLA and a J.D. from Yale Law School.
Claudia Aragon, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs – Claudia Aragon leads the Office of Immigrant Affairs – carrying out the Mayor’s priorities around public policy, community engagement and internal-external partnerships in the immigration space. She assumed this role in March. Ms. Aragon collaborated with City Departments and nonprofit partners to organize the response to the arrival of more than 40 migrants sent to Los Angeles from Texas last week. She also works to create and maintain partnerships with government leaders and other key stakeholders to highlight and address the needs of the immigrant community in Los Angeles. Ms. Aragon previously served as Deputy District Director for then-Congressmember Karen Bass. Prior to working for the 37th Congressional district, Ms. Aragon worked at the Alliance for Children’s Rights where she was the Guardianship Program Manager, providing direct services to relative and non-relative caregivers of minors in risk of entering the foster care system. Born in El Salvador and raised in the Riverside area, Ms. Aragon has dedicated her career to public service as a way of giving back to the community of Los Angeles that has embraced and welcomed her. Ms. Aragon earned her B.A. in Philosophy from UCLA and her Master’s in Public Administration from USC Sol Price School of Public Policy, where she was the recipient of the Dr. Rodolfo Montes Memorial Scholarship.