Offices
Some of the most useful things we have learned came from working inside government offices.
Our founder, David Liu, has worked in three of them: a California state senator’s office, a county supervisor’s office and a congressional campaign. These are his own placements, and what he learned in them is what we teach the chapters. We are nonpartisan in what we explain, and we do not endorse candidates or parties.
Where our founder has worked
Office of State Senator Josh Becker, SD-13
September 2025 to now.
He joined the office in September 2025, while SB 338 was in its final stage, and gave research and advocacy support on it. He wrote to the Governor urging signature, and he is working now on how the program the bill created gets put in place. The whole story is on our legislation page.
Office of Santa Clara County Supervisor Margaret Abe-Koga
June to August 2025.
He worked on a research project on mental health in Santa Clara County. He wrote a paper on the state’s Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health and presented what he found to the Supervisor.
A congressional campaign in California’s 16th district
May to November 2024.
He worked on the campaign across Campbell and San Jose, and observed the recount at the San Mateo County Election Office. He led a team of fifteen high school students doing outreach, which reached more than 1,000 households by phone, by canvassing and at events.
What we bring back
Here is what we learned in those offices and now teach every chapter:
- How a bill actually moves. Most of what decides a bill happens before the vote: which committee hears it, who is asked to comment, what fits on the one page a staffer writes about it.
- Who decides what. Most of the questions our members bring us are settled by a city council, a school board or a county supervisor, not in Sacramento or Washington.
- How to write to an office. Short, in your own words, about your own district, with one clear ask and a way to reach you.
Getting a placement
Start with the offices closest to home: a city council member, a school board member, a county supervisor, or the district office of your state legislator. Write to the district office rather than the capitol one, say which issue you care about and what you can do, and give the hours you actually have in a week. Expect to ask twice.
If you are in a chapter, send us the email before you send it to them and we will read it and send it back with notes. Write to admin@youthcei.org.