Cecilia Estolano

Cecilia Estolano
Co-Founder, Estolano Advisors
Pasadena, CA


Cecilia V. Estolano is an urban planner with experience in economic and workforce development, land use, environmental equity, and urban revitalization. Along with her Cal degree, Estolano holds an M.A. in urban planning from UCLA, and an A.B. in social studies from Harvard. She is the co-founder of Estolano Advisors, an urban planning and public policy firm with offices in Los Angeles, Oakland, and Sacramento.

She founded the organization with her spouse Katherine Perez-Estolano, and longtime friend Jennifer LeSar. Estolano is also the CEO of the Better World Group, an environmental policy and advocacy firm. Prior to co-founding Estolano Advisors, Estolano was chief strategist of state and local initiatives for green energy jobs advocacy organization Green For All.

Previously she served as CEO of the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA) and was an attorney at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. Estolano has held numerous roles in a wide range of governmental organizations. She served as president of the California Community Colleges board of governors, as well as a California Coastal Commission member.

She worked on Barack Obama’s presidential transition team, was a member of Senator Barbara Boxer’s judicial advisory committee, an assistant to the Los Angeles City Attorney, a senior policy advisor with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and an environmental policy advisor to former Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley.

Estolano recently completed her term on the UC Board of Regents, where she served from 2018 to March 2022. In the last year, she served as board chair. Estolano has taught at UCLA and Cal.