By Emma Hall, The Sacramento Bee

Tiyesha Watts is in love with public policy and the change that comes with it, she said. Her passion for public policy started as a legislative aide. While working for former state Sen. Richard Pan’s office, she supported rental moratoriums and helped people navigate housing resources.

With the California Academy of Family Physicians, Watts advocated for and secured funding for a family medicine residency program that focused on filling healthcare gaps. Watts is also an adjunct political science professor at Sierra College. She has advocated for policy initiatives for education, public safety and housing for the California Community Colleges.

“I really felt that public policy was a place for me, because it allows me to create solutions for constituents that have my same background I grew up (in),” Watts said.