Mr. Ernesto Olivares

Foundation Vice Chair / Executive Director of the California Violence Prevention Network (CalVPN)

Mr. Ernesto Olivares

Ernesto M. Olivares brings more than 45 years of public safety, civic leadership, and community violence prevention experience. He served for more than 30 years in law enforcement, retiring as a Santa Rosa police lieutenant, and spent 17 years helping lead youth safety and violence prevention efforts in Santa Rosa. He is a former Santa Rosa City Council member and mayor, a former government affairs manager, and currently serves as executive director of the California Violence Prevention Network.

Throughout his career, Ernesto has worked at the intersection of public safety, local government, community engagement, youth development, and violence prevention. He has helped communities design comprehensive safety strategies that integrate prevention, intervention, enforcement, and reentry to build safer, healthier neighborhoods. His work has included supporting underserved communities and helping community-based organizations strengthen their capacity to address violence prevention, youth safety, community trust, and local opportunity.

Ernesto’s public service has included leadership roles with local nonprofit, arts, education, behavioral health, public health, and human rights organizations. His work is also shaped by his experience as a Mexican immigrant raised in California and by a lifelong commitment to public service, community trust, and opportunities for young people.

Ernesto believes safe and healthy communities are built through shared responsibility. He understands that lasting change requires local elected officials, law enforcement, schools, community-based organizations, families, and residents to work together to address the root causes of violence and expand opportunity, trust, and hope.