Justin Rausa

Justin Rausa is the inaugural Policy Director at the California Policy Lab, where he is excited to strengthen partnerships and support evidence-based policy making in the state capitol, alongside CPL’s subject matter experts and University of California’s rigorous research. He believes strongly in our state government’s power to drive improvements for working class Californians, whether it be through legislative, budgetary or regulatory actions.

Justin recently served as the Deputy Legislative Director for Attorney General Rob Bonta, and joined CPL after 15 legislative sessions that also include working as an Assembly staffer or a lobbyist for nonprofits. His career in policy and advocacy are rooted in the community organizing that preceded it, and Justin has successfully chaptered or shaped state laws and budget items encompassing civil rights, criminal justice, education, food systems, health, immigration, and worker protections. Justin’s immigrant parents thankfully did not fully assimilate, and his Filipino culture and ancestral roots shaped this born and raised Californian’s advocacy approach and priorities.

Justin graduated with honors from UC Riverside where he majored in Biology, and obtained a MPH at UC Berkeley. Outside of CPL, Justin enjoys raising his third-generation Filipina American kiddo with his wife, who also served in Peace Corps-Namibia, but he can sometimes be caught dreaming that he’ll play water polo again.