Yvonna Cázares has two decades of experience in the non-profit and public sectors and has partnered with over 300 business, government, and community leaders on social innovation.

As a Governor’s Office appointee and Deputy Director at Cal EPA, Yvonna directed through management staff communications, environmental justice, public participation, and tribal affairs activities. She brought residents to the decision-making table and expanded communities’ access to resources using empowerment strategies. She has proudly developed policies and communities of practice at her organizations to drive transformative systems change, including modernizing and deepening public participation activities with technology and reducing community engagement costs by forty percent.

As Director of Community Engagement for the City of Oakland for the Office of Mayor Libby Schaaf, Yvonna worked cross-functionally to develop and lead inclusive and equitable community engagement trainings. She prides herself in leveraging the power of 535 community volunteers to reach 20, 000 low-income seniors and families by phone and text SMS technology during the pandemic to connect them with resources.

Yvonna believes partnership with diverse stakeholders helps them feel positively engaged and educated about points of influence, so that their input is informed and meaningful. Yvonna draws from her experience as a faith-based community organizer for PICO CA and a statewide environmental lobbyist. She is proud to have worked alongside and supported volunteer-led youth and family as well as grassroots organizations across the state. Before working at the Mayor's Office, Yvonna was responsible for Community Engagement across nine counties of the Bay Area working in the Communications and Community Engagement Division of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District.