Jessica Caloza is a Commissioner on the Board of Public Works, the governing and oversight body of more than 5,500 employees responsible for delivering critical services and infrastructure projects in the City of Los Angeles. She was appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti in February and confirmed by the City Council in March 2019. She is the first Filipina American to serve on the Board and is the lead Commissioner for the Bureau of Engineering.
Previously, Jessica served as Mayor Garcetti’s Director of Scheduling since 2017, overseeing the Mayor’s entire scheduling operation — including strategic planning, day-to-day logistics, and coordination with various Departments and agencies. She also served as Deputy Director of Scheduling, and came to the Mayor’s Executive Office from the Office of Immigrant Affairs, where she helped lead the City's immigration policy, grant programs, and civic engagement initiatives focused on expanding access to resources for immigrant communities.
Prior to joining the Los Angeles Mayor's Office, Jessica served in the Obama Administration in the U.S. Department of Education — where she worked on higher education policy, Congressional and legislative affairs, student data and privacy, immigration policy, and gender equity issues. She has also been a campaign aide to several members of Congress, including former Rep. Xavier Becerra of California; former Rep. Mike Honda of California; and Rep. Albio Sires of New Jersey. In 2012, she was a community organizer for President Obama’s reelection campaign and helped lead various field offices in Virginia.
Jessica is also passionate about giving back to the community and volunteers with various Asian American and Filipino American organizations. In 2014, she was selected as one of ten delegates for the Filipino Youth Leadership Program (FYLPro), an international leadership program led by the Ambassador of the Philippines. Most recently, she served on the boards of KAYA: Filipino Americans for Progress, FYLPro Executive Committee, and the Leadership Council of the Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE).
A graduate of the University of California, San Diego, Jessica is a proud first-generation immigrant.