Stephanie Ramirez Zarate

Stephanie Ramirez Zárate is a dedicated community leader and advocate committed to uplifting her community in California’s Central Coast. Most recently, Stephanie served as the District Director for California State Senator Monique Limón. In this role, she led the operations and management of three district offices and oversaw a team of skilled, civic-minded professionals. Her journey with the Senator’s office began as an office assistant, later advancing to District Representative, and ultimately returning to lead the team as Director. In this role, she oversaw key district policy areas, including labor relations, mental health, business and economic development, and K-12 education—always with a focus on equity and access. She takes great pride in having supported Senator Limón in her mission to represent and amplify the values of the Central Coast.

Stephanie is passionate about leadership development and advancing women’s role in all spaces of decision making and policy. As Senior Program Manager at Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), she supported the development and implementation of key programs like the HOPE Leadership Institute and the HOPE Binational Fellowship. In this role, she led and facilitated leadership development trainings for Latina leaders in California aimed to enhance their skills to advocate effectively within their communities.

Her passion for civic engagement also extends to electoral work. Stephanie has contributed to various political campaigns, with a special focus on Spanish-speaking voter outreach—connecting with voters who are often the most eager to participate but frequently underserved.

Stephanie serves on the boards directors of the Santa Barbara Education Foundation and Attitude, Harmony and Achievements for Teens (AHA!), where she shares her policy expertise and her personal insight as a former student who faced and overcame many educational barriers.

Stephanie was born and raised in México. Her family migrated to Santa Barbara California when she was 11 years, where she completed her education. She is a proud transfer student from Santa Barbara City College and earned her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Policy from UCLA—Go Bruins! During her time at UCLA, she served as Fundraising Chair for IDEAS, a student advocacy organization, raising funds to help undocumented students access higher education across the Los Angeles region. Her lived experience as a formerly undocumented immigrant continues to shape her advocacy and policy work.

Stephanie is driven by a deep desire to effect systemic change and is pursuing a Master’s in Public Management at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy as a National Urban Fellow. Through the fellowship, she aims to strengthen her expertise in public policy, refine her leadership in public service, and gain the tools to drive meaningful, community-centered impact. She is especially eager to deepen her understanding of organizational management, team development, and strategic leadership—skills essential to building and sustaining effective, equity-driven institutions. With curiosity and purpose, Stephanie looks forward to exploring new policy areas, tackling complex societal challenges, and developing innovative solutions that reflect the needs of the communities she serves.