Felipe Fuentes
Encyclopedia
Felipe Fuentes is a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...

 from the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...

 in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

. He won election to the California State Assembly
California State Assembly
The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature. There are 80 members in the Assembly, representing an approximately equal number of constituents, with each district having a population of at least 420,000...

 for the 39th district on a May 15, 2007 special election. He slightly exceeded the 50%+1 margin needed to avoid a runoff. Prior to serving in the Assembly, Fuentes served as Chief of Staff to then Los Angeles City Councilman Alex Padilla
Alex Padilla
Alejandro "Alex" Padilla is a California State Senator. He was elected as the state senator for California's 20th State Senate district in November 2006 and was inaugurated in early December. Prior to serving in the Senate he served 7½ years on the Los Angeles City Council representing the 7th...

.

Biography

Fuentes graduated from UCLA (1994) where he received his bachelors degree and Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine University is an independent, private, medium-sized university affiliated with the Churches of Christ. The university's campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in unincorporated Los Angeles County, California, United States, near Malibu, is the location for Seaver College, the School of...

 (2004) where he received his masters in business administration (MBA).

Fuentes began his career promoting immigrant and children’s rights at the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law. In 1999, Fuentes began serving the 7th council district of Los Angeles as a field deputy to then City Councilmember Alex Padila. In 2001, he worked on then City Attorney James Hahn's campaign for Mayor. After Hahn's election, he was appointed Deputy Mayor of the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...

. Fuentes managed the Mayor’s Office of the Neighborhood Advocate, Volunteer Corps, Constituent Services, and the Targeted Neighborhood Initiative. He was the Mayor’s liaison to the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment, Animal Services, and the Department of Building & Safety.

As Chief of Staff to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...

 City Council President Alex Padilla
Alex Padilla
Alejandro "Alex" Padilla is a California State Senator. He was elected as the state senator for California's 20th State Senate district in November 2006 and was inaugurated in early December. Prior to serving in the Senate he served 7½ years on the Los Angeles City Council representing the 7th...

, Fuentes helped establish a pilot program to implement the “Safe Routes to Schools” initiative in the Northeast San Fernando Valley. He worked to help bring the first new police station to the San Fernando Valley in twenty-five years, and to create effective anti-gang programs.

Fuentes chairs the Assembly Appropriations Committee and is member of the Assembly leadership team. Fuentes also serves on the following committees: Banking & Finance, Utilities & commerce, and chairs the select committee on the 2010 United States Census.

Felipe is a lifelong resident of the Northeast San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles and now resides in Sylmar with his wife, Lena Wu-Fuentes. Lena and Felipe are parents to a daughter.
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