Top CA and NY Strategists Join Civitas Public Affairs

NEW YORK — Civitas Public Affairs Group announced today that two accomplished leaders in political strategy and advocacy, Ana Guerrero and Sasha Ahuja, are joining the firm. Guerrero, a leader in California for the past three decades and longtime chief of staff to former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, will serve as a Principal working in Los Angeles, while Ahuja – who recently led the successful New Yorkers for Equal Rights ballot initiative – joins as a Director in the New York office.

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“Ana and Sasha’s experience and skills will be invaluable to our team as we work to develop winning strategies and help our clients advance meaningful change in today’s rapidly changing political environment,” said Katherine Grainger, Managing Partner at Civitas.
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A seasoned political and organizational strategist with more than three decades of experience in government, policy, and organizing, Guerrero served as Chief of Staff to Mayor Garcetti from 2013 to 2021, overseeing all aspects of the administration and playing a critical role in implementing the mayor’s ambitious policy agenda. During her tenure in City Hall, Guerrero managed efforts to lift the minimum wage to $15 an hour, fund an historic expansion of public transportation, guarantee high school graduates free community college tuition, secure the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, mobilize the city's COVID response in 2020, and bring gender equity to City Hall's powerful boards and commissions for the first time in history. 
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Guerrero, an immigrant from Mexico and the daughter of farmworkers, began her career in 1990 as a community organizer, leading the Sonoma County Faith Based Community Organizing Project and advocating for rural communities in Northern California before moving to Los Angeles to become the Lead Organizer with the United Neighborhoods Organization.
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“I am honored to join an organization dedicated to winning on today’s most pressing issues,” said Guerrero. “I look forward to expanding the firm’s footprint in California and collaborating with philanthropists and advocates to create lasting, transformative impact in my home state as well as across the country."
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Sasha Ahuja is an organizer, advocate, and strategist who most recently served as Campaign Director for New Yorkers for Equal Rights, where she led the successful ballot initiative effort to create the strongest state-level civil rights protections in the country. Ahuja has held leadership roles at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Working Families Party, and Girls for Gender Equity, as well as in New York City government. 
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“Civitas is on the front lines of transformative advocacy and policy fights, and I’m excited to join this effort. I look forward to partnering with leaders and organizations to make progress on the most critical issues of our time,” said Ahuja.
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These additions to Civitas come at an exciting time for the firm as it continues to expand its expertise and impact, supporting the nation’s leading philanthropists, nonprofit organizations, and movements to win on pressing issues and causes. Last year, Civitas joined Orchestra, a new full-service communications company that enables Civitas to expand its social impact capabilities.

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On Ana Guerrero
“Ana is a brilliant strategist with a deep understanding of policy, politics, and the power of collaboration. She has a proven ability to work across sectors to solve problems and turn ideas into results. I am delighted to support her as she brings her talents to Civitas Public Affairs,” said Cynthia Mitchell Heard, CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League.
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“Ana is a uniquely talented organizational and political strategist and one of the most respected leaders in Los Angeles. She brings a steady hand to complex projects and knows how to get things done. Ana is a trusted friend and advisor and I have no doubt that she will bring tremendous value to her clients at Civitas,” said George L. Pla, Founder and CEO of Cordoba Corporation and Board Chair, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.
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“Thanks to Ana’s extraordinary skills as a manager, leader, and innovator, I was able to fulfill the ambitious goals we set out to achieve in my administration serving as Mayor of Los Angeles. As Chief of Staff, Ana kept my team focused on long-term goals while nimbly responding to the unexpected. She brought her trademark focus, charisma, and skill to everything from grassroots community issues to the highest levels of global diplomacy. Ana is a force of nature with a one-of-a-kind ability to connect with and inspire people from all walks of life. Civitas is fortunate to have her on the team,” said Former Mayor of Los Angeles and Former Ambassador of the United States of America to the Republic of India Eric Garcetti.

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On Sasha Ahuja
"After supporting the movement's response to the fall of Roe v. Wade while at Planned Parenthood, Sasha Ahuja helped lead a historic campaign to expand constitutional rights in New York, charting a pathway for our rights at the federal level. She is a battle-tested leader who will bring her energy to win for the long-term to Civitas,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, President, Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
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"Sasha Ahuja has long brought together leaders in philanthropy, government and community to turn big ideas into action. On the heels of a major political win in New York to pass Proposal 1 expanding our rights and freedoms, I could not be more thrilled for this next phase of Sasha's leadership at Civitas Public Affairs," said Pamela Shifman, President, Democracy Alliance.
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"Sasha Ahuja is a movement weaver and strategist who has ushered in big wins, namely ensuring LGBTQ+ rights are protected in New York's constitution, setting a model for protecting our rights all across the country. At a moment when LGBTQ+ rights are under extraordinary attack, Sasha demonstrated that states can take action right now. I'm thrilled for her to bring her expertise to the fantastic team at Civitas,” said Kelley Robinson, President, Human Rights Campaign.