In keeping with our tradition of interviewing new team members, we asked our new Policy Manager, Angeli, a few questions so that you all can get to know her!
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hi Everyone! I’m Angeli Calinog. I was born and raised in East County San Diego and was classically trained in singing, piano, and violin throughout my childhood and teenage years. I graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in Social Sciences where I minored in Music and Anthropology/Geography. I have a background in local and state legislative issues & politics, event planning, and I have worked for both the non-profit and public service sectors. My career first began working for a local State Senator where I was District Representative/Internship Director. Prior to Circulate, I was a Policy Advisor for the Building Industry Association of San Diego (BIA), a non-profit trade association representing the building industry. I currently serve on San Diego Community Housing Corporation’s Board of Directors, a non-profit affordable housing & community development organization, and am a Policy Committee member of the YIMBY Democrats of San Diego County. In my free time, I enjoy hiking, listening to new music, attending concerts (back in the day!), eating at different restaurants in the Convoy District with my fiancé, and cooking comforting meals for my loved ones.
How did you become interested in Circulate San Diego?
My familiarity with housing and land use issues have helped me understand the importance of improving transportation choices and enhancing healthier, safer, and more livable neighborhoods in San Diego. I first learned about Circulate San Diego’s mission and policy objectives through my previous position at the BIA. I believe that Circulate’s mission to advocate for better mobility choices and sustainable growth align with my passion to help others and to advocate for housing affordability in our region.
What’s your most memorable face palm moment? Or what is your biggest achievement to date? Choose one.
My biggest accomplishment is developing a robust internship program for my former employer. When I first joined State Senator Joel Anderson’s team, his internship program included all of 25 interns. By the end of my tenure, and with the help of my team, I had eclipsed this number with over 70 interns. Even more important than sheer numbers, I revitalized the program through providing interns with access to new opportunities such as mentorships and networking, both of which helped to develop their soft skills (e.g. communication, teamwork, leadership), along with a better understanding of the legislative process. In addition, I helped create two guides, one to help future interns throughout their journey and another to set future Internship Directors up for success. The best part about this accomplishment is keeping in touch with former interns and following their professional journeys. I am amazed to hear how the internship helped individuals pursue careers in almost every field.
If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?
There are so many people that I would choose as a mentor!
In college, I learned about Clara Schumann, a German female pianist, composer, and teacher whose legacy and artistic contribution to classical music was often overshadowed by her husband, Robert Schumann, a famous classical composer himself. Clara Schumann was a passionate musician, wife, and mother who advocated for not only her work, but her husband’s music to be circulated as well. She is considered one of the first musicians to perform from memory as a teenager. While she was married to Robert Schumann, Clara managed household affairs, finances, and encouraged her husband to compose his most famous pieces. I would pick Clara as a mentor in hopes that she would help me understand how to not only advocate for myself, but how to make sure that you always do so while lifting others up.
If I could choose a fictional character, I would pick Leslie Knope from the comedy series, Parks & Recreation. Leslie Knope is a hardworking, dedicated public servant who never stops seeing the good in the world. I would pick her as a mentor to get advice on how to be a great leader.
