Before joining the Cal Walks team, Emilio was the Grants & Administrative Associate and the Los Angeles Regional Organizer for End Child Poverty in California for the Dolores Huerta Foundation (DHF). As the Grants & Administrative Associate, Emilio was responsible for grant writing, compliance reporting, and providing administrative support to DHF’s Executive Team. As the Los Angeles Regional Organizer, he organized a coalition supporting the expansion of the California Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, and CalWORKS safety net grant increases.

Before joining DHF, Emilio worked at UCLA as a Community Service Advisor and later as the supervisor for several College Preparation Programs. At UCLA Emilio advised undergraduate members of the Community Programs Office Student Association on volunteer services that provide educational and medical services to underserved communities throughout the greater Los Angeles area.

Emilio is connected to Cal Walks’ mission through his passion for advancing progressive people-powered movements. In his new role as the Community Programs Manager, Emilio will be responsible for developing, implementing, and managing the day-to-day operations of one of the organization’s walking and biking safety programs.

Emilio attended East Los Angeles College, where he studied journalism, and later transferred to UCLA, where he earned his B.A. in Chicano/a Studies. In his spare time, Emilio enjoys cooking, reading, and hiking.