Lennies Gutierrez, Director of Government Affairs for South Bay and Southern Peninsula areas at Comcast California, was recently featured on Hispanic Executive for her work in closing the digital divide.
In the feature, she talks about how she found a mentor in her father at a young age and has honored his legacy in her work to create change. The senior Gutierrez learned English, put himself through school to earn a JD degree, and was eventually appointed to be a Judge at the Solano County Superior Court by Governor Jerry Brown in 2016. His impact on her was tremendous and allowed her to get an early taste of civic engagement that gave her the passion for politics.
Gutierrez went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in political science and Chicano/a studies at the University of California–Davis, and later, her JD degree from the UNC Lorenzo Patino School of Law, all while holding down her regular job. She credits her dad, noting that she decided to follow his path after seeing how many people he was able to help as an attorney.
During a community event, Gutierrez learned about an opening for a Director of Government Affairs position at Comcast. Seeing Comcast’s high level of dedication and engagement to caucuses in Sacramento, she went after the job and joined in 2010.
At Comcast, Gutierrez works to build relationships between the company and the communities we serve, including mayors of cities and towns, small businesses, housing authorities, and local nonprofits. She makes it a priority to be there for these communities, ensuring that they will get the answers they need. The goal of closing the digital divide is reflected in several Comcast programs in her regional wheelhouse including Internet Essentials by Xfinity, Comcast Rise, and Project Up. She also plays an instrumental role in getting people in her region to sign up for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), where qualified people on public assistance can apply for federal money to help pay their internet service.
Within Comcast, Gutierrez is involved in various employee resource groups (ERGs), co-leading the CA Unidos ERG and sitting on the West Division Diversity, Equity & inclusion Council. Outside of Comcast, she serves on the boards for nonprofit organizations including Latino Leadership Alliance, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), and the Chamber San Mateo County. She was the first Latina invited to serve on the board of the African American Community Services Agency.
Her passion for civic engagement and the intersection of politics and policy is reflected in the work that she does at Comcast. While she plays a heavy hand in working to close the digital divide, she emphasizes that representation matters and wants to be a role model for Latinas and other people to stay genuine while working hard to get to where you want to be.
Congratulations, Lennies!
About Hispanic Executive:
Hispanic Executive unites the leaders of the new majority. By turning the spotlight on business’s most influential Latinos, they help drive its community’s unmatched economic, political, and social power. As they shape the dialogue on the cultural force that is Hispanic leadership, they amplify the voices of those driving growth in the global marketplace.
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Read the full article here.
