The Sacramento Bee and Nehemiah Leaders Programs are celebrating this year’s 60 Change Makers. Join them at our gala at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at the Grand Sheraton in downtown Sacramento. Buy tickets at sacramentochangemakers.com.
Tiyesha Watts is in love with policy and the change that comes with it, she said.
Her passion for public policy started as a legislative aide. While working for former state Sen. Richard Pan’s office, she supported rental moratoriums and helped people navigate housing resources.
With the California Academy of Family Physicians, Watts advocated for and secured funding for a family medicine residency program that focused on filling healthcare gaps.
Watts is also an adjunct political science professor at Sierra College. She has advocated for policy initiatives for education, public safety and housing for the California Community Colleges.
“I really felt that public policy was a place for me, because it allows me to create solutions for constituents that have my same background I grew up (in),” Watts said.
Tiyesha Watts, California Housing Partnership associate director for policy advocacy, poses for a portrait on Thursday, July 30, 2026. She was selected as one of this year’s 60 Change Makers. HECTOR AMEZCUA hamezcua@sacbee.com
She grew up low-income. Her mother worked multiple jobs to keep a roof over her head and her family lived in Section 8 housing and received CalFresh food benefits.
Watts is now the associate director for policy advocacy for the California Housing Partnership, a nonprofit focused on advising agencies with affordable housing initiatives. With the partnership, Watts spearheads lobbying and advocacy efforts.
“I wanted to ensure that those who don’t know how to navigate the system, who don’t know how to navigate bureaucracy, are able to access benefits and receive resources,” Watts said.
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Emma Hall covers retail and business for The Sacramento Bee. Hall graduated from Sacramento State and Diablo Valley College. She is Blackfeet and Cherokee.