A strong advocate for public safety, affordable housing, quality health care and education, Assemblywoman Anna M. Caballero was elected to serve the 28th Assembly District in November of 2006.  The district consists of San Benito County, and portions of Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties. 

In her first term as an Assembly member, Caballero was appointed by the Speaker of the State Assembly to serve as the chair of the Committee on Local Government, and as a member of the committees on Appropriations; Jobs, Economic Development, and the Economy; Water Parks and Wildlife, and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee. 

Recognizing Assemblymember Caballero’s extensive background with youth violence prevention, Speaker Núñez also appointed her to chair the Assembly Select Committee on Youth Violence Prevention. 

Born to a family of copper miners, Assemblywoman Caballero successfully obtained a bachelor’s degree from UC San Diego and a law degree from UCLA. She moved to the Salinas Valley 25 years ago to work for California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA). As an attorney, she represented striking farm workers and fought side by side with unions to prevent plant closures.

Seeing the need for legal representation at a price working families could afford, the Assemblywoman and two colleagues founded a law firm, Caballero, Matcham & McCarthy, in 1982. The business received many awards, and she was personally recognized with the Athena Award for entrepreneurial excellence.

Moving from law to public service, Assemblywoman Caballero was appointed to the Planning Commission and later elected to the City Council in 1991.  She was then elected mayor 1998.

In addition, Assemblywoman Caballero served as the Executive Director of Partners for Peace, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the community together to prevent gang violence and focus on literacy, early childhood education, and providing services to families.

Assemblywoman Caballero is also a wife and mother. Her husband, Juan Uranga, is the Director of the Center for Community Advocacy in Salinas.