Vanessa Valdivia '10

It’s been a whirlwind, to use her words.

Such are the professional life and times of Vanessa Valdivia ’10, whose career in the public sector — 12 years young, but rich with experience — whirled her into the White House. She was named press secretary for First Lady Jill Biden, and special assistant to President Joe Biden, in 2022.

This after working her way up the ranks, from a regional organizer on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign to press secretary for U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-New Mexico) to deputy national press secretary on the 2020 presidential campaign of U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-New Jersey). Prior to joining the White House, she was working as communications director for U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-California).

“I’ve been so lucky to work for some truly dedicated public servants and to advocate for causes and people I believe in,” says Valdivia, a California native who grew up in the Antelope Valley outside Los Angeles. “As the daughter of immigrants, I never dreamed I’d work in the U.S. Senate – let alone work at the White House. It’s an honor of a lifetime, and I’m thrilled to be working for an incredible first lady.”

The groundwork was laid for Valdivia during her years at UC Santa Barbara, where she double-majored in communication and global studies. Involving herself early by pursuing internships and other opportunities in media and journalism, she quickly fell for the power of storytelling and the craft of narrative to influence and inform. “Paired with the writing and analytical skills I gained through my coursework,” she says, “my experience at UCSB helped me build a strong foundation for the work I’ve done in government and political communications.”

Valdivia was an active volunteer, both for political campaigns and for after-school tutoring organizations, before going all in on the public sector as a career. From Nevada to New Mexico to Colorado to Michigan, she crisscrossed the nation as a campaign worker before settling in Washington, D.C. She hasn’t looked back, but she has stayed true to her passion for learning, connection and growth.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” she says. “One of the best things about this work is being able to see the impact that policy has on people’s lives and having the opportunity to learn from the communities you work in. Success is not just about what you do for a living, it’s about the impact you have and the relationships you build. To me, that’s meant mentoring young Latinas and women of color. It’s meant being intentional with how I build and manage teams. It’s also meant working on teams and for people I really believe in.

“You have to give yourself space to explore and learn,” Valdivia adds, “and often times you discover your next job by accident or build the best professional relationships by allowing yourself to take risks.”