Trustee
Governor—Public MemberTerm: 12/5/2023 to 9/1/2026Committees: Audit | Finance
Patricia Barahona is a public member of the State Bar of California Board of Trustees, appointed by Governor Newsom in 2023.
Trustee Barahona serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the Youth Leadership Institute (yli), directly responsible for overseeing a 65-person statewide staff and executing yli’s programmatic vision. Their journey with yli began in 2011 as a program coordinator, progressing through various roles, and demonstrating exceptional leadership by establishing multiple offices and effectively managing a $10 million budget.
Trustee Barahona’s commitment to nonprofit leadership emerged during their tenure at the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NJCASA), where they focused on primary prevention and bystander interventions for sexual violence in LGBTQ+ and Latino communities. They trained professionals and advocated on statewide committees, contributing to the Governor's Council Against Sexual Violence and the Women of Color Caucus. Later, at Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice (now Forward Together), Trustee Barahona worked with Sisters in Action for Issues of Reproductive Empowerment called SAFIRE, a young women's leadership development program, and developed a political education curriculum for young mothers and the criminal justice system, fostering relationships with youth organizations.
Trustee Barahona received their undergraduate degree from Rutgers University and their master’s degree from the School for International Training.