Chief of Staff, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria

Paola Avila brings over 25 years of experience in public policy, community outreach, and government affairs to her position as Chief of Staff to San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. Paola previously worked at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, focusing on advocacy of domestic and international public policies as Vice President of International Business Affairs.

Paola began her career in political campaigns and quickly made a name for herself serving as Deputy Chief of Staff for Mayor Dick Murphy. She left in 2005 and started her own public affairs consulting business assisting large and small companies with economic development opportunities and land use planning. Paola later served as a Communications Director in the California State Assembly and Senate and specialized in a variety of policy areas including water, energy and economic development. In 2020, she co-chaired then Assemblymember Todd Gloria’s Back to Work SD Task Force and helped develop a plan for the City of San Diego’s recovery in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Paola was named Girl Scouts San Diego’s 2018 Cool Woman and in 2020 named Alumna of the Year by the Academy of Our Lady of Peace. She has received multiple awards including Latino Leaders Magazine’s 2014 San Diego’s Most Influential Latinos. Avila graduated from the University of California San Diego with a B.A. in Economics.