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Shyh Saenz, a proud Chicana from California’s Bay Area, is chief of staff at Operativo, a campaign strategy and mobilization firm. She helps organizations, advocates, and artists turn ideas into action, with projects spanning climate action to Latino representation. Saenz also directs the Cesar Chavez Centennial Campaign, a nationwide effort entrusted to her by the Chavez Family and Foundation to reintroduce Cesar’s legacy to new generations ahead of his one hundredth birthday.
What is your greatest career accomplishment to date?
My greatest career accomplishment to date has been the opportunity to help open doors for others while growing as a leader myself. Through my work at Operativo, I’ve had the privilege of being in rooms with influential leaders, people I once looked up to from afar, and now I’m collaborating with them on meaningful campaigns that uplift our communities.
What I’m most proud of is that I haven’t walked this journey alone. Just as my boss, Nathaly Maurice, opened doors for me, I’ve made it a priority to bring others with me by helping friends land jobs, amplifying diverse voices, and always pushing to ensure Latinos are not only included in key conversations but recognized for our cultural and economic contributions.
My career has been a story of progression, rooted in service, driven by impact, and grounded in the belief that leadership means lifting as you climb. I’m proud of how far I’ve come, and even more excited about what’s ahead.
What is your greatest personal accomplishment to date?
My greatest personal accomplishment was earning a spot as a Division 1 soccer player at Gonzaga University, a dream I set my heart on as a little girl. I’ll never forget the moment I walked into the locker room for the first time and saw “Hayward, CA” beneath my name. It wasn’t just a place—it was a reminder of everything and everyone I represented: my parents who sacrificed so much, my hometown that shaped me, and the community I carried with pride.
The journey to get there was anything but easy. Getting recruited was tough, I constantly felt like I was playing catch-up, and there were very few girls who looked like me on the field. But I never quit. Just before my freshman year, I tore my ACL. Rehabbing from that injury while adjusting to the intense demands of being a student-athlete at a powerhouse athletic program pushed me to my physical and mental limits. I balanced 40-hour weeks of training, lifting, film, and travel with the full-time rigor of college coursework.
Being one of the few Latinas on the team made every step more meaningful. I knew I wasn’t just playing for myself, I was playing for every girl who had ever felt unseen in this sport. Since then, I’ve met so many young athletes who’ve told me they saw themselves in my story. That, to me, is what makes this accomplishment even more powerful. I chased my dream, I never backed down, and I showed up fully—representing my family, my culture, and the next generation coming up behind me.
What do you do today to impact your community?
I impact my community by returning to the spaces that shaped me. I volunteer and mentor with youth programs like the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project (CLYLP) and the Puente Project, supporting their summer programs and helping students navigate college applications by sharing the lessons I’ve learned. I’ve also gone back to coach for my old club soccer team, using the sport that gave me confidence as a tool to uplift and empower the next generation of girls.
Whether I’m speaking at my former high school or attending local community events, I stay rooted because representation matters. I show up because young people deserve to see someone who looks like them, who walked the same halls, come back not just with stories, but with a hand outstretched.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In five years, I see myself continuing to make a meaningful impact in every room I step into. I hope to be in a position where I can influence decision-making at the highest level while shaping strategy, moving resources, and building powerful relationships that drive change.
Personally, I see myself playing Sunday league soccer, hopefully owning a home, and traveling often. I’m also open to going back to school to specialize in a niche I’m passionate about, but still discovering.
What is the biggest issue that you want to help solve, and why?
The biggest issue I want to help solve is the lack of representation and access in spaces that shape opportunity, belonging, and power.
Growing up, I learned firsthand how the absence of representation—and the resources that help us get there—can make it harder to imagine what’s possible. Too often, our stories are left out of classrooms, boardrooms, and campaigns. And when you don’t see people who look like you or come from your community in these spaces, it can feel like you don’t belong there either.
But I also learned what happens when someone gets through the door and brings others with them. Representation isn’t just about being seen, it’s about creating welcoming environments, building community, and opening pathways for others to thrive. Once we’re in these spaces, we have the power to reshape them.
That’s what drives my work today. I want to build systems, narratives, and campaigns that increase representation with intention, not just for visibility, but to transform who has access to power, resources, and opportunity. That’s why I’m proud to be working on the Cesar Chavez Centennial Campaign, helping revive stories and strategies that remind us of our collective power and that when we’re seen, heard, and supported, we can build something bigger than ourselves.
What is a moment when you realized the impact of your work?
I’ve realized the impact of my work in the quiet, in-between moments—after organizing a community event, supporting a campaign, or launching a new initiative, when someone reaches out to say they felt welcomed, represented, or inspired. That kind of personal feedback stays with me because it reminds me that even the smallest details truly matter.
Whether I’m supporting projects that amplify Latino voices, coordinating events that bring our culture to life, or helping elevate the work of others doing powerful things in their communities, I’ve come to understand impact as more than a final product, it’s how people feel along the way. It’s when someone sees themselves reflected in a campaign or walks away from an event feeling proud of who they are. That’s when I know I’m making a difference: when I help shape stories, spaces, and experiences that center and celebrate our community. That’s when I feel the purpose of what I do most clearly.
What advice would 10-year-old you be shocked to hear you followed?
“Todo a su tiempo.” I grew up pretty impatient and I wanted everything to happen fast. Whether it was making a soccer team, getting results, or proving myself, I didn’t fully understand that some of the best things in life take time.
Now, I live by those words. I’ve learned that being patient and trusting the process leads to deeper growth. From getting recruited to play college soccer, to recovering after my ACL surgery, to applying for jobs after graduation, nothing happened overnight. Each of those moments tested my faith, but they also taught me resilience.
My younger self would be shocked I didn’t try to force it all to happen quickly, but I’m grateful I learned to believe that what’s meant for you will come, todo a su tiempo / all in due time.
What’s a cultural tradition that always brings you joy?
For Día de Los Muertos, setting up the ofrenda with my family always brings me joy. It’s bittersweet, there’s a gentle sadness in placing some of my loved ones’ favorite things on the altar, but also a comforting feeling in honoring their memory. Seeing the ofrenda beautifully arranged in my home, reminds me that even though they are gone, their spirit is still with us. It’s a powerful tradition that keeps our connection alive and brings our family together in love and remembrance.
What song do you listen to that motivates you?
“To My Love” – Tainy Remix and Bomba Estéreo.
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