Monica spent four years assigned to the City Attorney’s award-winning Neighborhood Prosecutor Program where she collaborated with the Los Angeles Police Department, city agencies and area stakeholders on projects designed to improve the quality of life and increase safety in the community. She has been recognized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation withtheir 2009 Public Service Award and by the City of Los Angeles for her continuous efforts to educate and raise awareness among its residents. Whether at work or volunteering in her community, Monica’s focus has always been to promote the well-being of children, youth and their families.
Monica was raised in East Los Angeles and has worked in many of Los Angeles’ diverse and multi-cultural neighborhoods – from South Los Angeles to Downtown to the San Fernando Valley. Monica holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work from Mount St. Mary’s College and is the proud parent of two children. She is committed to her communities and proves so by serving as board member of the Los Angeles Police Department Hollenbeck Police Activities League (Hollenbeck PAL).
In May of 2016, Monica was appointed as Senior Advisor by Sheriff Michael J. Brown of the Bedford County, Virginia Sheriff’s Department and designated Director of West Coast Operations for the Safe Surfin’ Foundation – a non-profit organization preventing children from being victimized by Internet predators. Monica is now serving a fifth with the Board of Directors for Northeast Community Clinics, an FQHC.
In 2016, Monica the joined the healthcare sector and was appointed Director of Workforce Development Department for AltaMed Health Services Corp., the largest Federally Qualified Health Center in the Nation. Her role was to partner closely with key business and medical leaders to design, implement and manage pipeline programs for critical roles. Monica also served as Director for the Los Angeles Area Health Education Center (AHEC).
Monica also serves as an instructor on Empathy for the USC Annenberg Center for Third Space Thinking.