Jessica Pedroza was born in Phoenix, AZ, to Mexican immigrant parents whose sacrifices paved the way for her education. A first-generation college graduate, she earned her B.A. in Political Science from Notre Dame, where she co-founded 1stGND and was actively involved in Latino Campus Ministry and the AnBryce Scholars Program. She then taught 5th grade in Chicago through Teach for America while pursuing her M.A. in Teaching. Seeking to impact education policy, Jessica became a ‘20-21 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Education Graduate Fellow, completing placements with UnidosUS and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM). She later served as a Legislative Assistant to Rep. Gallego, managing portfolios on education, health, and housing, and acting as a liaison to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Now, as CHCI’s Manager of Fellowship Programs, she oversees public policy and postgraduate fellowships, empowering emerging Latino leaders through personal, leadership, and professional development.