Angel madero - Chief of Staff

Ángel Madero is born and raised in San José, doing weekdays with his mom and stepdad in the Gardner Neighborhood, and weekends with his dad in the Cassell Neighborhood of East San José. He is a proud alum of Lincoln High School, San José City College, and UC Santa Cruz.

Ángel’s mom and dad are immigrants from Zacatecas & Sonora, respectively, who came to this country under the Ronald Reagan Amnesty. His stepfather was not so lucky, and when Ángel was 10 years old, his stepfather was deported to México, which caused major financial and emotional strain for his family. This experience propelled him into studying politics, to ensure that he could systematically help the community that showed up for his family.

Ángel’s worked political campaigns, and has proudly served the East Side of San José as Community Relations Representative with the previous Councilmember. Ángel loves connecting policy to people, striving to ensure that his parents can always understand what he’s working on. He is especially passionate about leading policy for the Park, Recreation, Neighborhood Services Department as he grew up in parks; Sylvia Cassell & Emma Prusch hold a special place in his heart.

Ángel is new to the role of Chief of Staff and is actively reading and seeking professional development to create a strong work environment. Ángel draws strength from the powerful women in his life, including his mother and aunts. In his free time, Ángel enjoys dancing, thrifting/antiquing, and playing pool with his friends!

Brisa Rojas - Deputy Chief of Staff/Policy Director

Brisa Rojas Moreno is Deputy Chief of Staff & Director of Public Policy for San Jose City Councilmember Peter Ortiz. Born and raised in East San José, Brisa proudly serves the district she grew up in.

Her parents immigrated from Mexico to California and struggled to make ends meet. However, they persevered because they wanted a better life for their children. As a child of immigrants, Brisa learned the importance of equity and fighting for change to bring more resources to her community, as well as changing the negative stigma that came with growing up on East San José. She became the first generation in her family to attend college, studying political science and environmental justice at San José State University.

With four years of experience working in council offices for the City of San Jose, Brisa specializes in driving policy priorities through government and legislative processes, with expertise in housing, animal services, economic development, and climate action. Brisa is a powerful force in the workplace and uses her positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Brisa is inspired daily by her community, family, and friends. In her free time, Brisa likes learning other languages and painting.

Kimberly Ruiz - Community Relations Director

Kimberly “Kim” Ruiz has lived in West San José for most of her life. She attended Elementary, Middle and High School in the West San José and is proud daughter of immigrant parents from México.  

Kim graduated from San José University with a BA in Child Development with Preparation for Teaching. She was a member of Grupo Folklorico Luna y Sol where she danced along her colleagues representing different regions of México.  

Prior to working for District 5, Kim was a resident services coordinator for Project Access at Foxdale Village Apartments where she worked with youth and families by connecting them with equitable resources. Foxdale families made Kim fall in love with District 5. She currently Serves the District 5 residents as a Community Relations Director for District 5, focusing on neighborhoods and small businesses. 

During her free time, Kim enjoys going on walks and bike rides. She also loves spending time with her husband and friends. During the Covid-19 Pandemic, Kim started making handmade earrings out of polymer clay, beads, and wire. She sells them from her Instagram page and is looking to host her first vendor table soon.  

H.G. Nguyen -Director of Public Affairs

HG Nguyen is a longtime community advocate who has been active in San José since the 1990s. After a career teaching French and Vietnamese at UC Santa Barbara and Santa Barbara City College, HG co-hosted the radio program “San José Co Gi La” (“What’s Happening in San José”), catering to the Vietnamese-American community in the South Bay.

HG is a widely respected leader in San José’s large Vietnamese-American community and was the Founding President of the Vietnamese-American Chamber of Commerce of Santa Clara Valley. Prior to her work as a Senior Consultant for Assembly-member Manny Diaz, HG worked with the San Jose Redevelopment Agency to help beautify the East Santa Clara Street business corridor, including the future site of City Hall.

HG has years of experience in San José’s City Hall, previously working in Districts 7 and 4. She has an excellent track record as a liaison to the community, an advocate for neighborhood concerns, and a champion for local entrepreneurs

Jay Davis - Communications and Policy Aide

Jonathan “Jay” Davis is Communication and Policy Aide for Councilmember Ortiz. Jay was born and raised in San José and studied Politics at UC Santa Cruz. Jay is a published music and culture journalist and longtime political activist, focused on housing, environment, and indigenous rights. Jay has held policy-focused internships at SPUR and the UC Students Association and is a graduate of the Green Foothills Community Advocates Leadership Academy. In his spare time, Jay enjoys writing, reading, and is a passionate supporter of San José’s DIY music scene.