Erica Jacquez will join the Directors Guild of America (DGA) as executive in charge of government affairs later this month.
Russell Hollander, associate national executive director of the DGA, said of Jacquez, “Her deep experience in government affairs and in D.C. will be a significant asset in advocating for our members on the critical policy issues that impact their work and economic and creative rights. We look forward to putting her expertise to use on behalf of our membership.”
Jacquez will be responsible for the Guild’s federal legislative and governmental work, and will serve as an advocate for the DGA and its members on key issues such as intellectual property, copyright and anti-piracy protections; federal and state incentives for runaway film and television production; and issues relating to the protection of DGA members’ creative and economic rights. Jacquez will also coordinate and manage the work of the DGA Political Action Committee (PAC) and DGA PAC Leadership Council.
Jacquez comes on board following the retirement of longtime government affairs executive Kathy Garmezy. Jacquez joins the Guild from AltaMed Health Services–a network of community health care providers for underserved communities throughout Southern California–where she was associate VP of government relations. In Washington D.C., she served as a legislative analyst at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and prior to that as a Congressional relations officer at the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development. Earlier in her career Jacquez was the main community liaison for Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina.
Jacquez received both her doctorate in policy, planning and development, and M.P.A. from the University of Southern California. She earned her B.A. in criminal justice from California State University, Fullerton. She is also a graduate of Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government’s Executive Leadership Program.