Jessica Manriquez Jewell

Jessica Manriquez Jewell is the Chief Executive Officer and President of California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc., an anti-poverty law firm dismantling unjust systems through community lawyering in California's historically rural areas.

Jessica was raised in the Central Valley in Riverbank, California where a passion for working with her community was instilled in her early on by her immigrant parents and extended family. She is the proud alumna of public schools and obtained her higher education in the Central Valley. Jessica minored in Theatre Arts and received her B.A. in Criminal Justice from California State University, Stanislaus. She then went on to receive her J.D. from Humphrey’s College, Laurence Drivon School of Law.

Jessica has chosen to dedicate her career to legal services. After working as a legal aid advocate in Southern California, Jessica moved back to her hometown and has been working with CRLA since 2009.  Since then, Jessica has served CRLA clients in a variety of roles including as a Community Worker, Staff Attorney, Directing Attorney, Regional Director, Deputy Director, and now CEO and President.

Throughout her time at CRLA, Jessica has worked to secure habitable and affordable housing in CRLA client communities, and language access rights for low-income tenants. Jessica has also successfully represented low-wage workers in employment discrimination litigation and was part of a team of attorneys who reached a successful settlement revamping discipline policies to combat discrimination and bias in a local school district.

Jessica now resides in Turlock with her family and a whole zoo of pets.