Omar Gonzales serves as the Executive Director of External Affairs and University Relations at Cal State LA, where he leads the development, implementation, and advising of strategic internal and external stakeholder engagement, government relations, and advocacy efforts on behalf of the University. Prior to this role, he was a Senior Public Policy Manager at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, Southern California’s largest and oldest business association, where he led policy engagement with elected officials, regulators, and stakeholders on behalf of 1,400 members. Gonzales has also held public affairs and government relations roles at Nikola Corporation, Bird Rides Inc., and the Office of LA Mayor Eric Garcetti, and served as the California Deputy Policy Director for Mike Bloomberg’s 2020 presidential campaign. An alum of the Coro Fellowship and a former White House intern, he holds a B.S. from the University of Southern California.