Monica Ruelas Mares

Monica Ruelas Mares is a native of South Sacramento, California. She is passionate about equity and social justice through building transformational relationships to affect policy change. As the Associate Director of Funding the Next Generation, Monica coordinates advocacy programs and statewide networks, designs and facilitates trainings, works with a wide network of consultants, and provides technical assistance to coalitions to build winning strategies for campaigns across California.

Prior to joining FNG, Monica was the Manger of Local Children’s Policy at Youth Forward and the coordinator of the grassroots coalition Sac Kids First where she led and strengthened the coalitions advocacy efforts with youth and community voices at the forefront. Her work centered on organizing youth, community based organizations, and advocates to take action on policies and measures impacting kids in Sacramento. In 2022, Monica helped lead Sac Kids First in the effort to establish the city’s first-ever Sacramento Children’s Fund (Measure L, 2022). In 2023, she was appointed to Sacramento Children’s Fund Planning and Oversight Commission and elected as the inaugural Chair. Monica played a pivotal role in leading the commission to develop the fund’s first five-year strategic investment plan, which was approved unanimously by the commission and the Sacramento City Council.

In January 2025, Monica was named one of the Top 20 Latino Changemakers in the Sacramento Bee, a recognition that celebrates the best of the region’s Latino, Black and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. Shortly thereafter, she was reappointed to the Sacramento Children’s Fund commission and elected for a second term as Chair.

Monica received her Bachelor of Arts in Geography from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She is the proud daughter of immigrants from Mexico and the youngest of 4 siblings. Outside of work she enjoys keeping up with her favorite sports teams, listening to good music, spending time with family, and hanging out with her girlfriends.