Seal Beach, CA – Today, Assemblymember Avelino Valencia announced his endorsement of Dr. Paula Swift for Assembly District 70, citing their shared commitment to ensuring Orange County families can access the resources and support they need to thrive.

Both leaders have focused their work on strengthening systems that serve working families across Orange County — from ensuring transparency and accountability in government programs to streamlining processes so critical resources can reach diaper banks, homeless service providers, and treatment centers more efficiently.

“Orange County deserves leaders who are focused on making government work better for the people it serves,” said Assemblymember Valencia. “Dr. Paula Swift has spent her career advocating for women, children, and vulnerable families, and she understands how to connect people with the resources they need most. Her experience working directly with communities gives her an important perspective that will strengthen our work in the Legislature as we continue to deliver meaningful support for Orange County residents.”

Dr. Swift welcomed the endorsement and emphasized the importance of collaboration to expand opportunity and access for families across the region.

“I’m grateful for Assemblymember Valencia’s endorsement and his leadership on behalf of Orange County families,” said Dr. Swift. “Throughout his time in the Legislature, he has worked to make sure resources reach the communities that need them most. I look forward to continuing that work together — advocating for working families, women, and children so more people can access the opportunities and support this great state has to offer.”

Assembly District 70 encompasses communities across Orange County including all of Westminster, Stanton, Los Alamitos, Fountain Valley, and Garden Grove, along with portions of Seal Beach, Santa Ana, and Huntington Beach.

The Primary Election will take place on June 2, 2026,

To learn more about Swift and her campaign, please visit: votepaulaswift.com

About Dr. Paula Swift

Dr. Paula Swift is a devoted small business owner, educator, advocate, and proud wife and mother who understands the complexity of life in California, the opportunities it creates, and the challenges that too often keep families from thriving. She is running for State Assembly District 70 because Californians deserve a leader who listens, understands, and delivers real solutions that make daily life more affordable.

A native Californian raised with the values of hard work, service, and community, Paula put herself through college while raising a family. Her academic achievements are not simply credentials; they are the tools she uses to solve problems, build consensus, and create meaningful change. 

For more than twenty years, Paula has worked across the nonprofit, public, and private sectors, devoting her career to strengthening systems that should support, not fail, the people they serve. As CEO of her consulting firm, she partners with government agencies, schools, small businesses, and community organizations to address inequities, improve operations, and expand access to essential resources. 

In addition to her role as CEO, Paula serves as an adjunct professor at a local college. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Azusa Pacific University, a Master of Communication Management, and a Doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California.

A proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, she embodies a lifelong commitment to leadership, service, and community empowerment. She and her husband are the proud parents of three adult children and a cherished Cane Corso.

Her deepest passion remains her long-standing advocacy for foster youth and domestic violence survivors. At age 35, a tragic act of domestic violence claimed the life of her four-year-old son and nearly her own life. Widowed, shattered, and left to raise her surviving child alone while working through tremendous grief, Paula was determined to fight for her family and for every single person overlooked, unheard, or left behind by the government meant to protect them.

Paula spent more than two decades supporting children and families in the foster care system, fighting to improve stability, access to mental health care, educational opportunity, and long-term outcomes for youth impacted by trauma. She is committed to carrying that work into the State Assembly. 

In the Assembly, Paula will fight for better access to:

• Safe, thriving communities where women, children, and families can live with stability and dignity

• Affordable, accessible health care, including trauma-informed care for survivors and families

• Stable housing and pathways to first-time homeownership

• Lower costs of living so working families can achieve real economic security

• Strong public schools that support the whole child and give every student the opportunity to succeed

• Strong protections and opportunities for California’s foster youth

• Policies that honor, protect, and support seniors with dignity and care