Jesus Vega Ibarra  

CHCI Public Policy Fellow

Presented by Google 

Hometown: Rio Rico, Arizona 

School: Arizona State University 

Degree: B.A in Global Studies 

Placement: Office of Sen. Cory Booker 

Jesus F. Vega Ibarra (he/him/él) is a proud Mexican-American raised in Rio Rico, Arizona, a small border town where community, culture, and resilience shaped his early worldview. Raised by his single mother, Jesus grew up in a tight-knit, bicultural community that instilled in him the values of hard work, pride in where he comes from, and a responsibility to uplift others.  

Jesus is a first-generation college graduate of Arizona State University, majoring in Global Studies. At ASU, he was a member of the Next Generation Service Corps, a leadership program that prepared him to collaborate across public, private, and nonprofit sectors to address complex social challenges. Through the program, he pursued opportunities that deepened his global perspective and commitment to public service. He interned with the U.S. Foreign Service Internship Program at the Department of State and worked at the Foreign Press Center in D.C., supporting public diplomacy initiatives, and later at the U.S. Embassy in Ghana, focused on political-military affairs. He also worked at ASU’s Leadership, Diplomacy, and National Security Lab, on outreach campaigns to recruit students to intern in Washington, D.C. He currently serves as National President of Tau Psi Omega, a multicultural, service-based fraternity, where he supports chapter development, leads mentorship programming, and empowers members from underrepresented backgrounds. At every step, Jesus strives to bridge communities and uplift others, driven by a commitment to open doors, just as others did for him. 

Before CHCI, he served as a Staff Assistant at the Department of State’s Bureau of Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy, where he helped counter disinformation abroad, contributed to the African Affairs portfolio, and served as Acting Press Officer. 

As a CHCI Public Policy Fellow, Jesus hopes to deepen his understanding of the legislative process, gain experience shaping policy, and build lasting relationships with changemakers who share his commitment to equity, representation, and service. In the long term, he hopes to return to Arizona to help build a more inclusive and equitable future for communities like the one that raised him.