Juan Carlos Torres has over two decades of legislative experience and political know how. He worked in both the State Senate and Assembly, including in each houses’ leadership offices. Most recently, Mr Torres served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Speaker Anthony Rendon. In that role, Juan was responsible for floor sessions, international delegation trips, Speaker’s appointment to boards and commissions, among other duties.
He was instrumental in adopting strategies to secure passage of key legislative priorities for the Assembly leadership. Juan also served as Chief of Staff to various legislators, including the Assembly Majority Leader, Assembly Rules Chair, the Chair of the CA Legislative Latino Caucus. He was also charged with legislative confirmation hearings for the CA State Senate Rules Committee. Juan has played an important role in achieving historic policy milestones in CA, including the first ever environmental justice law in CA law, the first investment for urban parks in a park bond, the creation of the largest urban conservancy in CA and the adoption of in-state tuition for undocumented students for colleges and universities. During Speaker Rendon’s tenure, key policies in labor and worker protections, climate change, environmental protection, criminal justice reform, housing and immigrants rights were adopted in the CA Legislature, with Mr Torres at the center of many of these victories. Mr Torres is a strong advocate for equity and adopting policies to help disadvantaged communities. He helped lead the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work in the Assembly, including the hiring of the Legislature’s first ever Equity Advisor. Mr Torres previously served on the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project Board and is currently on the statewide YMCA’s Youth and Government Advisory Board of Managers.
Juan holds a B.A. in Political Science and Chicano Studies from Loyola Marymount University. Born in Jalisco, Mexico, he grew up in Long Beach and is a proud first generation immigrant and was the first in his family to graduate from a university. He lives in Sacramento with his wife, Traci and their two daughters.
