Maria Peñaloza (she/her)

Before joining Code for America, Maria was a Program Manager at the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs where she oversaw programs and initiatives to support immigrant and refugee inclusion through connection to city services and social services, outreach, and policy advocacy. She also worked at the Office of Immigrant Affairs in Philadelphia where she contributed to the research, writing, and implementation of Language Access and Immigration Services Fraud city ordinances. Before working in local government, she worked at the Central American Resource Center where she helped coordinate DACA services. Maria holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from UCLA and a Master of Science in Social Policy from the University of Pennsylvania. Outside of work, she enjoys going to coffee shops, hiking, and watching Dodger baseball.