Liz Ortega’s route to Sacramento ran through the Alameda Labor Council and the unions where she worked before voters sent her to the Assembly. She began as a receptionist for SEIU in 2001, then moved through labor education, nursing-home work and political leadership. At AFSCME Local 3299, she lobbied the Legislature for the successful passage of legislation protecting essential service jobs at University of California campuses. She returned to the Alameda Labor Council in 2017 as its executive secretary-treasurer, the first Latina to hold that position. In 2022, Ortega defeated Dublin City Councilmember Shawn Kumagai for the 20th Assembly District seat. She took office on December 5 of that year, carrying a labor résumé into a district made up of Alameda County communities.
ROOTS
Elizabeth Ortega-Toro was born August 26, 1977, in Guadalajara, Mexico. She came to the United States at age three with her mother and brother; her father had immigrated earlier. They crossed the border in San Diego and settled in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, where Ortega was raised and attended public school.
She later attended the Oakland campus of the University of Phoenix. In 2009, she earned a bachelor of science in criminal justice administration. Her career has included positions at SEIU, AFSCME Local 3299 and the Alameda Labor Council.
Ortega is married to Jason Toro, and they have four children. Her biography includes immigration, Oakland public schools, higher education completed during her labor career and family life. Those particulars sit alongside the institutions where she worked before entering elected office: SEIU, AFSCME Local 3299 and the Alameda Labor Council.
THE JOB BEFORE THE JOB
Ortega’s labor career began at the front desk. After working as an SEIU receptionist, she became an education trainer and later assistant director of Education and Nursing Homes. The jobs moved from administration to training and management before she took on an explicitly political role.
From 2011 to 2013, Ortega served as political director for the Alameda Labor Council. In 2013, she joined AFSCME Local 3299 as statewide political director. Based in Sacramento, she lobbied the California State Legislature for the successful passage of legislation to protect essential service jobs at all University of California campuses.
In 2017, she returned to the Alameda Labor Council as executive secretary-treasurer. She was the first Latina to lead the council in that position. The post followed years spent working at SEIU, serving as political director of the Alameda Labor Council and leading statewide political work for AFSCME Local 3299. By the time she ran for the Assembly, Ortega had lobbied state legislators in Sacramento and held political and leadership positions in Alameda County labor institutions.
THE PATH TO OFFICE
Ortega was first elected to the Assembly in 2022. She defeated Shawn Kumagai, a Dublin City Councilmember, and was sworn into the California State Assembly on December 5, 2022. She represents the 20th district and is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.
The election moved Ortega from labor leadership into the chamber where she previously had worked as a lobbyist. Her career before the election included work at SEIU, political leadership at the Alameda Labor Council, statewide political work for AFSCME Local 3299 and leadership of the county labor council. Before taking office, she had already worked in Sacramento to lobby for legislation protecting essential service jobs throughout the University of California system.
THE THROUGH LINE
Ortega’s documented career combines labor leadership with state politics. While serving as statewide political director for AFSCME Local 3299, she was based in Sacramento and lobbied the Legislature for the successful passage of legislation protecting essential service jobs at UC campuses.
Her labor work included education and nursing-home responsibilities at SEIU, political leadership at AFSCME Local 3299 and two periods at the Alameda Labor Council. She served as the council’s political director from 2011 to 2013 and returned in 2017 as its executive secretary-treasurer.
Her election to the Assembly in 2022 changed her place in the legislative process, from lobbying lawmakers to serving as one. She entered office with experience in labor education, union political work, county labor leadership and lobbying for legislation protecting essential service jobs. That labor career preceded her election to represent the 20th district.
- State Assembly · Assembly District 20 · 2022–present
Liz Ortega’s route to Sacramento ran through the Alameda Labor Council and the unions where she worked before voters sent her to the Assembly. She began as a receptionist for SEIU in 2001, then moved through labor education, nursing-home work and political leadership. At AFSCME Local 3299, she lobbied the Legislature for the successful passage of legislation protecting essential service jobs at University of California campuses. She returned to the Alameda Labor Council in 2017 as its executive secretary-treasurer, the first Latina to hold that position. In 2022, Ortega defeated Dublin City Councilmember Shawn Kumagai for the 20th Assembly District seat. She took office on December 5 of that year, carrying a labor résumé into a district made up of Alameda County communities.
ROOTS
Elizabeth Ortega-Toro was born August 26, 1977, in Guadalajara, Mexico. She came to the United States at age three with her mother and brother; her father had immigrated earlier. They crossed the border in San Diego and settled in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland, where Ortega was raised and attended public school.
She later attended the Oakland campus of the University of Phoenix. In 2009, she earned a bachelor of science in criminal justice administration. Her career has included positions at SEIU, AFSCME Local 3299 and the Alameda Labor Council.
Ortega is married to Jason Toro, and they have four children. Her biography includes immigration, Oakland public schools, higher education completed during her labor career and family life. Those particulars sit alongside the institutions where she worked before entering elected office: SEIU, AFSCME Local 3299 and the Alameda Labor Council.
THE JOB BEFORE THE JOB
Ortega’s labor career began at the front desk. After working as an SEIU receptionist, she became an education trainer and later assistant director of Education and Nursing Homes. The jobs moved from administration to training and management before she took on an explicitly political role.
From 2011 to 2013, Ortega served as political director for the Alameda Labor Council. In 2013, she joined AFSCME Local 3299 as statewide political director. Based in Sacramento, she lobbied the California State Legislature for the successful passage of legislation to protect essential service jobs at all University of California campuses.
In 2017, she returned to the Alameda Labor Council as executive secretary-treasurer. She was the first Latina to lead the council in that position. The post followed years spent working at SEIU, serving as political director of the Alameda Labor Council and leading statewide political work for AFSCME Local 3299. By the time she ran for the Assembly, Ortega had lobbied state legislators in Sacramento and held political and leadership positions in Alameda County labor institutions.
THE PATH TO OFFICE
Ortega was first elected to the Assembly in 2022. She defeated Shawn Kumagai, a Dublin City Councilmember, and was sworn into the California State Assembly on December 5, 2022. She represents the 20th district and is a member of the California Legislative Progressive Caucus.
The election moved Ortega from labor leadership into the chamber where she previously had worked as a lobbyist. Her career before the election included work at SEIU, political leadership at the Alameda Labor Council, statewide political work for AFSCME Local 3299 and leadership of the county labor council. Before taking office, she had already worked in Sacramento to lobby for legislation protecting essential service jobs throughout the University of California system.
THE THROUGH LINE
Ortega’s documented career combines labor leadership with state politics. While serving as statewide political director for AFSCME Local 3299, she was based in Sacramento and lobbied the Legislature for the successful passage of legislation protecting essential service jobs at UC campuses.
Her labor work included education and nursing-home responsibilities at SEIU, political leadership at AFSCME Local 3299 and two periods at the Alameda Labor Council. She served as the council’s political director from 2011 to 2013 and returned in 2017 as its executive secretary-treasurer.
Her election to the Assembly in 2022 changed her place in the legislative process, from lobbying lawmakers to serving as one. She entered office with experience in labor education, union political work, county labor leadership and lobbying for legislation protecting essential service jobs. That labor career preceded her election to represent the 20th district.
The record
4,438 events, each with its sourceAB 1344 Irwin Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 345 Hurtado Senate Third Reading By Irwin
SB 514 Cabaldon Senate Third Reading By Bryan
SB 411 Pérez Senate Third Reading By Lee
SB 340 Laird Senate Third Reading By Ávila Farías
AB 489 Bonta Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 321 Schultz Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 380 Jones Third Reading Urgency By Alanis
SB 317 Hurtado Senate Third Reading By Michelle Rodriguez
AB 435 Wilson Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 516 Ashby Senate Third Reading By Haney
SB 517 Niello Senate Third Reading By Hoover
SB 410 Grayson Senate Third Reading By Quirk-Silva
SB 520 Caballero Senate Third Reading By Bonta
SB 312 Umberg Senate Third Reading By Bennett
SCR 85 Archuleta Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 759 Valencia Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 251 Kalra Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 343 Pacheco Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 386 Limón Senate Third Reading By Sharp-Collins
AB 1374 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 398 Umberg Senate Third Reading By Berman
SB 852 Elections and Constitutio Senate Third Reading By PELLERIN
SB 306 Becker Senate Third Reading By Harabedian
AB 519 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 470 Laird Senate Third Reading By Hart
SB 524 Arreguín Senate Third Reading By Schultz
AB 1061 Quirk-Silva Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 388 Padilla Senate Third Reading By Carrillo
SB 525 Jones Senate Third Reading By Wallis
AB 221 Ramos Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 20 Menjivar Senate Third Reading By Celeste Rodriguez
SB 241 Cervantes Senate Third Reading By Fong
SB 236 Weber Pierson Senate Third Reading By Elhawary
SB 21 Durazo Senate Third Reading By Mark González
AB 931 Kalra Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 248 Bryan Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 275 Smallwood-Cuevas Senate Third Reading By Ortega
AB 893 Fong Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 3 Cervantes Senate Third Reading By Berman
SB 278 Cabaldon Senate Third Reading By Mark González
SB 567 Limón Senate Third Reading By Bryan
SB 279 McNerney Senate Third Reading By Soria
SB 568 Niello Senate Third Reading By Wallis
AB 365 Schiavo Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 224 Bonta Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 830 Arreguín Senate Third Reading By Bonta
AB 806 Connolly Concurrence in Senate Amendments
SB 827 Gonzalez Senate Third Reading By Wicks
SB 355 Pérez Senate Third Reading By Ortega