We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Patricia Olivares a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Patricia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Any thoughts around creating more inclusive workplaces?

I grew up in a small town near the Texas border, where you needed two qualifications to run for office. One you needed to be a man, and two you needed to be old. No one at any level of government looked like me. I was a young Latina from a hardworking neighborhood and a single-parent household. We had enough and when we didn’t our neighbors pitched in to help.

The political landscape for far too long has been comprised of old men. Having women in politics of all identities, races, and sexual orientations adds value to the health of any democratic institution.

In 2020, I managed my first campaign. My candidate was also a young Latina. She was vying for a seat in the Texas House of Representatives. We learned a few things as we navigated a male-dominated industry. First, your must educate your leaders. Allow them to ask questions and be ready to mentor young talent. Second, Communication is a two-way street Allow people to freely express who they are and offer their own points of view. The last thing we learned was to embrace the differences. Campaigns are about people coming together from all walks of life, united in purpose.

Since then, I’ve stepped up to train the next generation of political leaders. When it comes to competitive campaigns, talented and culturally competent staff members are essential to winning elections.

Patricia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Patricia Olivares. I’m a democratic operative with experience in legislative affairs, polling, social media analytics, and relational organizing—a seasoned professional with experience building strategic government, media, and public relations.

As an Account Executive with Deliver Strategies, I focused on polling analysis and data
to craft targeted messaging plans. I served in a client-facing role to develop, organize, and
implement direct voter contact strategies. In my previous role at The Sexton Group, I worked to
develop relationships with elected officials and candidates to provide them with the best
communications strategies in the industry.

During the 2020 election cycle, I was the campaign manager for Natali Hurtado (HD-126). We raised $1.1 million dollars and received 39 endorsements, the most of any candidate in that cycle. One of the proudest moments of our campaign was receiving the endorsement of President Barack Obama and then Vice-President Joe Biden.

I served in the United States Marine Corps for 12 years. I deployed to both Iraq and
Afghanistan and was meritoriously awarded several decorations for my work. My proudest
achievement was assisting the women of Afghanistan to achieve economic, political, and social
advancement through several key initiatives.

I live in Houston Texas with my two children.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

It’s very simple, team morale first, mission accomplishment second. Leaders must recognize the needs of the team and address topics head-on with intentionality and a strong call to action. Communication should be consistent and equitable across the board. Finally, respect a healthy work-life balance.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

In the military, you are taught that mistakes can be fatal. On the combat field, you’re required to know within an inch of certainty that you’re making the right move. However, it doesn’t work that way in normal life. Mistakes are what help us learn and grow. It’s ok to not know the answer. It’s ok to ask for help.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @la_dona_htx
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patricia-olivares/
• Twitter: @isitjustme79

Image Credits
Patricia Olivares and Natali Hurtado