Press/Media Contact:
Victor Mercado
Communications and Policy Advisor
Victor.Mercado@tucsonaz.gov
Juan Francisco Ramirez
Juan.Ramirez@tucsonaz.gov
Mayor Regina RomeroMayor Regina Romero was elected in November of 2019, becoming the first woman and first Latina Mayor of Tucson. Raised by immigrant farmworkers in Somerton, Arizona, Regina broke barriers early on as the first member of her family to vote and first to graduate from college. Prior to being elected Mayor, Regina Romero served as Ward 1 City Council Member from 2007-2019.
Mayor Romero is committed to creating Tucson as a sustainable, thriving desert city of the future through her policy priorities that include:
- Creating a Climate Resilient Tucson
- Support for Working Families including Housing Affordability
- Investing in our Infrastructure and Parks
- Robust Economic Development including Supporting Small Businesses
- Equitable Access and Investment for All
Mayor Romero is the Chair of the Latino Alliance of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Co-Chair of Mayors Against Illegal Guns. She is an Inaugural Member of the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger. Mayor Romero is a member of the Climate Mayors Network a nationally-recognized voice on climate action.
Mayor Romero holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Arizona and a post-graduate certificate from Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. Regina is married to Ruben Reyes. They have two children.
Charlene MendozaCharlene Mendoza serves as Mayor Romero's Chief of Staff, and leads a high-performing team of policy advisors supporting the Mayor's working family agenda.
Prior to joining the Office of the Mayor, Charlene served as an educator and held numerous leadership roles in Tucson's advocacy community. Passionate about education, equity, agency and choice, Charlene is an outspoken advocate for issues such as access to health care, education, reproductive rights, and voting.
Charlene is active in the Tucson community with organizations like Arizona List, Las Adelitas PAC, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Arizona and other groups working towards real and meaningful representation on a local, state and federal level.
Charlene holds a Bachelor's in Latin American Studies from Johns Hopkins University and a Master's in Language, Reading and Culture from the University of Arizona. She lives in central Tucson with her husband and two children.
Juan Francisco RamerizJuan.Ramirez@tucsonaz.gov
Juan Francisco Ramirez-Robles serves as Mayor Romero’s Executive Assistant and Constituent Liaison. Juan is responsible for managing the Mayor’s calendar and coordinating events for the Office of the Mayor. Juan also plays a central role in supporting office initiatives and connecting constituents to city services.
Juan is experienced in navigating organizational systems and connecting people to resources and services, having worked in real estate sales and marketing in New York City. Upon returning to Tucson, Juan worked in the public health sector providing education on HIV prevention, smoking cessation and wellness coaching, and access to health care services to disadvantaged communities. Juan is experienced in developing curricula and teaching public health-focused workshops for community-based organizations.
Juan holds a dual bachelor’s degrees from in Public Health and Spanish Literature from the University of Arizona and uses cultural studies and public health frameworks to create a thriving Tucson community.
Génesis CubillasGenesis.Cubillas@tucsonaz.gov
Génesis Cubillas serves as Mayor Romero's Policy Advisor. Genesis brings to the Mayor's team a strong background in community organizing and electoral politics. She also brings to this role vast institutional knowledge in areas such as housing; community safety, health, & wellness; and the role of arts, culture, and history in creating vibrant cities.
Before joining the Office of the Mayor Génesis served as an organizer with the Raíz program at Planned Parenthood. In this role Génesis led organizing and education initiatives and brought resources into the Tucson Latinx community. Génesis worked closely with community members to build relationships, break taboos around sex education, and ensure that political advocacy and campaign work are accessible and easy to understand.
Cubillas brings a deep understanding of union and worker solidarity initiatives, having worked at Jobs with Justice. Born and raised in Tucson, Génesis continues to be actively involved in many community organizations.
Génesis is a proud graduate of the University of Arizona where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Linguistics and a minor in Education. Cubillas also holds a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certificate. Génesis is fluent in Spanish
Fátima LunaFatima.Luna@tucsonaz.gov
Fátima Luna serves as Mayor Romero's Climate and Sustainability Policy Advisor. In her role, she develops and advances the implementation of people-centered policy solutions for climate resiliency and sustainability. Her work includes the Climate Emergency Declaration, EV Readiness Roadmap and managing the development of the City’s Climate Action Plan.
Fátima served as environmental and natural resource economist at the Sonoran Institute for the last seven years, where she led an initiative to establish a small-scale conservation fund that collaborates with water users to create a network of community-owned restoration projects in the Colorado River Delta.
Luna was raised in a rural town in Mexico and went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Economics and Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Science degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Arizona.
Fátima serves as a Board Member for the High Country News. She is a mother of three and an advocate for racial and climate justice. In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, gardening, and hiking.
Manisha BewtraManisha.Bewtra@tucsonaz.gov
Manisha Bewtra, AICP serves as Mayor Romero’s Planning, Mobility, and Development Policy Advisor. In this role, she leverages her passion for planning for thriving, healthy, and inclusive communities with her love for policy-making and politics as the Mayor’s liaison on transportation and land use issues. Manisha is an experienced public process facilitator and project manager and works collaboratively with the Mayor’s team and city departments to apply an equity lens to all city initiatives.
In addition to her role at the Mayor’s office, she is an adjunct lecturer in urban planning at University of Arizona’s College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture (CAPLA). She previously worked at the Metropolitan Area Planning Council in Boston as the manager of the analytics team and as a senior regional planner, at the Massachusetts Housing Partnership as a statewide technical assistance provider, and in municipal government and nonprofit community development organizations in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and the City of Chandler. Additionally, Manisha has held adjunct city planning instructor roles at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and at Arizona State University.
She holds a Master of City Planning degree from the University of Pennsylvania, a BA in Economics and Art from The University of Iowa. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and member at large for the American Planning Association Arizona Southern Section.
While living in Massachusetts Manisha was elected to the Melrose City Council, becoming the first person of color ever to serve in elected office in Melrose, and prior to that she served as the Vice Chair of the Melrose Human Rights Commission. She grew up in Iowa and identifies as Desi/Indian-American. She lives in Tucson with her husband and her son.
Victor MercadoVictor.Mercado@tucsonaz.gov
Victor Mercado serves as Mayor Romero's Communications and Policy Advisor. He joins the Mayor’s team having served in various roles in the energy, education, and non-profit sectors. Victor is responsible for communicating the Mayor’s policy agenda and sharing the story of Tucson as the sustainable, economically-vibrant, progressive city of the future. Victor also advises Mayor Romero on issues of economic development.
Victor brings a wealth of experience in media and communications. This includes engaging with media, creating incisive social media commentary, producing podcasts and webinars to national audiences, magazine publication, and developing case studies and blogs on complex topics such from energy equity to transportation electrification, to climate resilience.
Prior to joining the Office of the Mayor, Victor served as the marketing and business development principal for ILLUME Advising, a national research consultancy that supports public and investor-owned utilities, state energy programs, and government entities making the transition to clean energy.
Victor is the co-chair of the University of Arizona Hispanic Advisory Council and is a member of the Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona. Mercado holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. He is fluent in Spanish and is an okay golfer.
Eryck GarciaEryck.Garcia@tucsonaz.gov
Eryck Garcia serves as Mayor Romero's Community Engagement Advisor. A Tucson native, Eryck is actively engaged in community and serves as a liaison across the City to help our team better understand the impacts of the Mayor's agenda on Tucsonans.
Eryck is a former educator and an experienced political organizer, having supported various candidates and grassroots movements in Arizona. Eryck brings a high-level understanding across a broad spectrum of policies in areas such as education, economics, business development, climate and environmental sustainability, and immigration.
Eryck holds three degrees from Arizona State University, including a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Sustainability; a Master’s in Secondary Education; and a Master’s in Public Policy. During his free time, Eryck enjoys spending time outdoors, grilling, and watching Arizona sports.