About

Yesenia serves as the Senior Director of Government & Community Relations for Kaiser Permanente, one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit health plans. Yesenia manages the Government & Community Relations efforts for the Southern California Region, which includes over 4.9 million Kaiser Permanente members, 16 Hospitals, 200 Medical Offices, more than 8,800 physicians and over 90,000 employees. 

Yesenia specializes in government affairs, community relations, policy, communications, business development, non-profit management, marketing, and Latino outreach. Highlights from her career include serving as the Regional Director for U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, Vice President of Membership and Business Development for the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, and Executive Vice President, External Affairs and Programs for the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She also served as Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Executive Director of the Buena Nueva Foundation (a non-profit serving at-risk youth), Community Manager for the American Diabetes Association, and Special Assistant to the Mexican Consul for Economic Affairs.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Yesenia attended the University of Southern California where she earned three degrees: Master’s and B.S. degrees in Public Administration and a B.A. in Psychology. She has expanded her professional development by participating in Executive Leadership courses through the USC School of Business Administration, completing Leadership Southern California SCLN, and Kaiser Permanente’s Strategic Leadership and Advanced Management Programs.

Yesenia, a first-generation Mexican-American, graduated from the Hispanic Leadership Institute under HOPE (Hispana Organized for Political Equality). Yesenia was a White House Fellows Regional Finalist. She has received various honors, including the Southern California Leadership Network Visionaries Award, the National Latina Business Women's Association Corporate Leader of the Year Award, the Think Watts Leadership Award, the San Antonio Free Trade Alliance Partner Award, and Hispanic Magazine's Achievement Award. She serves on the BizFed Board and Executive Committee, the East Los Angeles College Foundation Board, the Los Angeles World Affairs Council Board, and served as the 2016-17 Chair of the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce. 

Yesenia resides in Los Angeles and is most proud of her husband Louis and their three sons, Joseph, Andrew, and Nicholas.