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 2465 Ortega Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2475 Emergency Management Concurrence in Senate Amendments By RANSOM
AB 2486 Addis Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2490 Valencia Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2495 Kalra Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2496 Solache Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2502 Pellerin Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2505 Carrillo Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2510 Arambula Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2524 Gipson Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2531 Irwin Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2541 Mark González Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2561 Valencia Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2589 Irwin Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2599 Bryan Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2605 Arambula Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2706 Soria Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2765 Ahrens Concurrence - Urgency Added
AB 2768 Ahrens Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2771 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2775 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 2783 JUD. Concurrence in Senate Amendments By KALRA
AB 2788 TRANS. Concurrence in Senate Amendments By WILSON
AB 2790 Communications and Conve Concurrence in Senate Amendments By BOERNER
SB 685 Cortese Senate Third Reading By Bonta
SB 769 Caballero Senate Third Reading By SOLACHE
SB 802 Ashby Senate Third Reading By Krell
SB 894 Allen Senate Third Reading By Bennett
SB 923 Becker Senate Third Reading By Schiavo
SB 954 Blakespear Senate Third Reading By Connolly
SB 959 Grayson Third Reading Urgency By Bauer-Kahan
SB 983 Weber Pierson Senate Third Reading By Boerner
SB 1004 Wiener Senate Third Reading By Schultz
SB 1024 Menjivar Senate Third Reading By Wicks
SB 1085 Durazo Senate Third Reading By Bryan
SB 1094 Weber Pierson Senate Third Reading By Bonta
SB 1107 Stern Senate Third Reading By Schiavo
SB 1140 Ashby Senate Third Reading By Bonta
SB 1173 Caballero Senate Third Reading By Schultz
SB 1195 Rubio Senate Third Reading By Blanca Rubio
SB 1205 Valladares Senate Third Reading By Carrillo
SB 1223 Padilla Senate Third Reading By Connolly
SB 1235 Rubio Third Reading Urgency By Blanca Rubio
AB 31 Ramos Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 375 Nguyen Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 744 Michelle Rodriguez Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 982 Carrillo Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1116 Berman Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1265 Haney Concurrence in Senate Amendments
AB 1440 Environmental Safety and Concurrence in Senate Amendments By CONNOLLY