Yesenia Sanchez (born 1977 or 1978) is the 23rd Sheriff of Alameda County. Sanchez is the first woman and first Latina to hold the office.

Early life

Sanchez was born in

Hayward, California Hayward () is a city located in Alameda County, California in the East Bay subregion of the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of 162,954 as of 2020, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda Coun ...

. Her father immigrated from Mexico to California as a child. Her mother moved to California from Texas. At the age of 12, Sanchez's family moved to Patterson, California. When Sanchez was a teenager, her parents separated and her family lost their home. Sanchez and her siblings worked to support their family. Sanchez graduated from Patterson High School. Sanchez returned to Hayward as an adult, living out of her car because she could not afford housing.

Alameda County Sheriff's Office

Sanchez started in the Alameda County Sheriff's Office in 1997 as an entry-level technician. In 2001, Sanchez became a sworn deputy. In 2020, Sanchez became division commander overseeing Santa Rita Jail.

Sheriff Election

In August 2021, Sanchez announced that she would run for Sheriff of Alameda County. Sanchez campaigned a reform platform to add more resources for inmates, increase transparency of the office, and train deputies to better approach crises. Sanchez criticized the incumbent,

Greg Ahern Gregory J. Ahern (b. ) was the 22nd Sheriff of Alameda County, California, serving for four terms between 2007 and 2023, losing re-election in 2022 by 21.6% . Early life Ahern graduated from Moreau Catholic High School. He earned a Bachelor' ...

, over multiple lawsuits at Santa Rita Jail concerning the treatment of mentally ill inmates. Sanchez defeated Ahern 52.8%-31.2% percent in the June 2022 primary election, securing a victory and avoiding a November runoff election. Sanchez will be the 23rd Sheriff, and will be the first woman and first Latina to be elected.

Personal

As of August 2021, Sanchez lives in Livermore, California. She is married to her husband, Todd, who retired from the Alameda County Sheriff's Department as a sergeant. Sanchez is a stepmother to her husband's three daughters from a prior relationship.

References

Living people 1970s births Year of birth uncertain Alameda County, California sheriffs Mexican-American people in California politics {{Improve categories, date=September 2022