Gloria Soto, Councilmember
Date Last Elected: 2022
2 Terms (2018-2022), Term expires: 2026

Address (office): City Hall,
110 East Cook Street, Santa Maria, California 93454-5190

City Phone: (805) 925-0951 ext. 2193
City Fax: (805) 349-0657

Email: gsoto@cityofsantamaria.org

Gloria Soto was elected to the City Council in November 2018, and re-elected in November 2022, by voters in City Council District Three, the southwest portion of the City.

Gloria Soto was born, raised, and educated in Santa Maria.

She is the daughter of immigrant farm-working parents, who made numerous sacrifices to ensure she would have a better life, and who also taught her the value of hard work and determination. Gloria took advantage of opportunities afforded to her by her family and community; she is a proud past participant of Future Farmers of America and Future Leaders of America (FLA).

Gloria has dedicated her young professional career to advancing reproductive healthcare access on the Central Coast. Since 2011, Gloria has served in a variety of positions at Planned Parenthood California Central Coast (PPCCC) including in education, public affairs, and development. She is currently the Major Gifts Officer working to expand care by stewarding donors to PPCCC’s vision of healthcare access. Her commitment to her community has also led her to serve on the boards of community-based organizations. Gloria served four years as a Board of Director for FLA, one of the largest LatinX youth-serving organizations in California, and also sits on the board for the Fund for Santa Barbara.

Gloria was elected in 2018 as part of the national wave of young women of color seeking to bring representation to local governments. She is the first Councilmember to be elected under Santa Maria’s City Council District Elections, and at age 29 made history by being the youngest woman elected. Gloria is only the sixth woman to be elected to the City Council.

Today she and her family reside in Santa Maria. Gloria is bilingual, bi-cultural, and deeply connected to the many communities in the Santa Maria Valley. Gloria enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and watching horror films. Gloria attended Pioneer Valley High School and earned her Associates Degree at Allan Hancock College and her B.A. at Chapman University.  

Committees:

• Collaborative on Homelessness (Home for Good) - Representative
• Downtown Revitalization Committee (DRC) - Representative
• Santa Maria Airport/Council Informational - Alternate Representative
• Schools Quarterly Roundtable - Representative

Education & Employment:

• Pioneer Valley High School, 2007
• A.S. Degree, Allan Hancock College, 2009
• Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Studies, Chapman University, 2011
• Regional Development Manager, Planned Parenthood, 2016 to present
• Public Policy & Community Engagement Manager, Planned Parenthood
• Health Education Coordinator, Planned Parenthood
• Deputy Director, Central Coast Literacy Council 
• Health Educator, Planned Parenthood

Community Involvement:

• Board Member, The Fund for Santa Barbara, 2018 to present 
• Board Member, Future Leaders of America, 2017 to present
• Grant Making Committee Liaison, The Fund for Santa Barbara, 2017-2018 
• Member, Grant Making Committee, The Fund for Santa Barbara, 2015-2018
• Board Member, Central Coast Future Leaders, 2017
• Summer Leadership Conference Director, Central Coast Future Leaders 2015-2017