AUSTIN, TEXAS — Jenn Longoria, a longtime Democratic operative with national presidential electoral experience, has joined Jolt Action and Jolt Initiative as its new Director of Programs, effective today. A native of Edinburg, Texas, Longoria has more than a decade of experience organizing national, statewide and city-wide races, with a specialization on Texas-based campaign field programs and electoral data management.
Drawn to organizing by her belief that every voice deserves to be heard, Longoria’s commitment to empowering communities of color has led her to champion voter registration, as well as train volunteers and staff from progressive organizations across the state in data management and volunteer recruitment. Prior to joining Jolt, Longoria served as the Texas Deputy Director for the Biden 2020 Campaign and as Texas Director for Elizabeth Warren for President. She has also worked on presidential campaigns for both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, in addition to working on numerous state and municipal races.
In her role as Jolt’s newly-formed Director of Programs, Longoria will be responsible for growing the organization’s grassroots engagement programs, as well as developing and implementing Jolt’s statewide voter registration and voter mobilization strategies. She also will be responsible for the strategic coordination of Jolt’s programming, reporting to Jolt’s Executive Director, Dr. Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia.
“Communities of color in Texas are the future, and we are at a critical juncture where every vote across this state will have an outsized impact in future elections,” said Jenn Longoria, incoming Director of Programs. “I’ve dedicated my career to championing voter registration, and I am ready to help catapult Jolt to the next level and mobilize every eligible Latino voter so they understand the power they hold with their voice and their vote.”
“Jenn is a powerhouse organizer, with unmatched skills, experience and expertise in the Lone Star State,” said Dr. Gloria Gonzales-Dholakia, Jolt’s Executive Director. “I am thrilled to welcome her to our team at Jolt, and I’m confident her expertise with data management and voter mobilization will help advance Jolt’s mission to harness the power of our Latino community and make transformative change for decades to come.”
Longoria has trained volunteers and staff from organizations across the state including Texas Freedom Network, New Leaders Council, the Texas Democratic Party, the Houston Justice Coalition, NARAL, and Afiya. She currently serves on the Advisory Board for Battleground Texas, has two college-aged children and lives in San Antonio with her husband and their 4 year old Dachshund/Beagle pup, Ellie.
ABOUT JOLT ACTION
Founded in 2016, Jolt Action is a progressive civic engagement organization focused on building the political power and influence of young Latinos in Texas. Jolt Action’s initiatives are focused on community organizing, leadership development, voter engagement, and multi-issue advocacy. Through these efforts, Jolt Action serves to elevate the community’s collective voice to engage and transform our democracy. Jolt’s high school and university chapters across the state mobilize around issues such as student debt, racial and immigrant justice, healthcare reform, and climate change. To learn more, visit jolttx.org.
ABOUT JOLT INITIATIVE
Jolt Initiative is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded in 2016 focused on increasing civic engagement and participation among young Latinos in Texas. Annually, nearly 210,000 Latinos already living in Texas will turn 18 years of age. Of this group, 95 percent are U.S. citizens and will become eligible to vote in local, state, and national elections.1 Jolt Initiative’s work consists of community organizing, leadership development, voter engagement, and multi-issue advocacy. Through these efforts, Jolt Initiative serves to propel political participation and leadership among young Latinos as they engage on the issues that matter to them. To learn more, visit joltinitiative.org.
1U.S. Census Bureau. “Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2016.” United States Census Bureau. May 2017.