Hello there!
Thank you for wanting to learn more about me. After all, you and all other residents of Johnson County are why I've launched this write-in campaign. It's time we stop electing the same career politicians who stand in the way of meaningful change. Together we can move us toward the progressive vision Johnson County residents deserve.
About Me
Upbringing & Education
I was born in El Paso, Texas and raised, along with my younger brother, by a single mother determined to get an education and work hard to get us out of poverty. She succeeded, having worked her way from being a beautician to earning her degree and becoming a teacher. Though we struggled at times, she used every opportunity to teach us the value of hard work and doing what's right. She raised us to be resilient, work smart and hard, and never stop learning. I graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso majoring in Political Science and minoring in History. I went on to Texas Tech University School of Law and graduated with a J.D., despite knowing I did not want to practice law. See, although sometimes they needed legal advice, the people I knew and loved growing up could never afford attorneys. However, I also knew I wanted to help people. I decided that the best way for me to use my knowledge and skills was to support workers.
Career & Labor Advocacy
I spent about a year and a half after law school working for a workforce development board as a Regulatory Administrator in El Paso. I helped develop programs to get under-employed and unemployed people back into the workforce, and I ensured those programs as delivered complied with the law. I uncovered fraud, waste, and abuse, implemented changes to prevent that going forward, and saved the board from recurring negative audit findings. We became one of the top ranked boards in Texas. My family and I moved to San Jose, California where I began working as a Labor Relations Representative for the California School Employees Association, a union representing 260,000 public school employees across the state. I helped workers organize, form unions, and negotiate contracts. I defended their contracts through grievances, mobilizing workers, and unfair labor practice charges. I represented workers facing discipline, including terminations. After just over a year in this position, I was promoted to Executive Manger. In this role, I oversaw the day-to-day operations of the association. I developed policy and procedure, engaged in conflict resolution, and led change management efforts. I advised the board of directors on critical matters of interest and developed strategies to mitigate against the loss of our ability to collect service fees from non-members. While serving as Executive Manager, I was tapped to concurrently serve as interim Director of Communications to rebuild a struggling team of communications professionals after most of their leadership had left the organization. Within three months, the team was performing at a very high level, morale was restored, and productivity had substantially increased. I served as Executive Manager for six years. We then moved to Iowa City after my wife got a tenure track position at the University of Iowa. I began working as a Labor Educator for the UI Law School's Labor Center. In this role, I taught workers across the country about various worker rights including those under the National Labor Relations Act, The Fair Labor Standards Act, Workers' Compensation, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Family and Medical Leave Act. I also taught skills related to negotiations, grievance handling, strategic planning, public speaking, organizing, communications, advancing DEI efforts, combating discrimination and harassment, conducting internal audits, and running effective meetings. After three years, I left the Labor Center to work for Johnson County. I served as the Executive Director of the Board Office for eighteen months. During that time, I worked with an incredible Board Office team and the most progressive members of the Board to establish and launch the Trans Advisory Committee. The TAC is tasked with developing recommendations for how to protect members of the trans community in our county. I worked to help ensure every last federal American Rescue Plan Act dollar is spent to help advance affordable housing, make childcare more accessible and affordable, and promote small businesses among underestimated communities. I also revised internal policies to make the practices of the county more transparent to employees and residents. I even developed an onboarding program for new supervisors so they can hit the ground running once they take office.
Family & Fun
I met and immediately fell in love with my wife, Lina-Maria Murillo, while I was back in my hometown over the summer after my first year in law school. She was working on her doctorate degree at UTEP and had befriended some of my friends. They introduced us and we've been inseparable since. Someday, you should ask me how I proposed. We had our first child, Leo (now 16), when we were both in grad school and our second child, Isamaria (now 13), when Lina was finishing up her PhD. While in Iowa City, we grew our family by two with the addition of Jefe, a chocolate lab pit mix, and Luka, a Transylvanian hound. Together, we enjoy good food, quality time with family, spending time outdoors, and traveling. I enjoy playing bass guitar, cycling (road and mountain biking), and making piñatas. Although, the kids have outgrown that last one.
Why I'm Running
The hardest part about being the Executive Director of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors Office was watching great idea after great idea stymied by three less than progressive Supervisors. For instance, efforts by Supervisors Fixmer-Oraiz and Green to establish a County Human Rights Commission, to develop a guaranteed income pilot, to build an array of electric vehicle charging stations at county buildings for the public and staff, and to pass a wage transparency ordinance, all languished because the other Supervisors would not get on board or even provide substantive alternatives. I want to advance these progressive efforts and others by ensuring the safety, dignity, and quality of life of our residents are front and center, in both rural and urban areas of Johnson County. I want to increase investment in safe, sustainable, and affordable housing, increase access to affordable childcare, and find bold and innovative ways to protect and support PEOPLE who are trans and nonbinary, immigrants, seeking reproductive care, living with mental illness, and engaging in peaceful protests. Our residents must have a refuge in the county against the harsh and inhumane laws and policies coming from the state legislature! With your help, support, and vote, I am committed to spending my time in office enhancing the progressive vision Johnson County residents deserve.
The Platform
01
Increase investment in safe, sustainable, and affordable housing
02
Increase access to affordable childcare
03
Pursue bold and innovative strategies to protect and support PEOPLE who are under attack by the state legislature
04
Use budgetary authority to get other elected officials to work with the Board to protect and support people under attack by the state legislature
05
Require the County to have just cause to discipline or terminate workers and to exercise reasonable progressive discipline