Nicole Fernandez
Chief of Staff
Nicole is a lifelong resident of San Mateo County having been born at Mills Hospital and raised in Belmont. She is a career public servant, having previously worked for the late Assemblymember Ira Ruskin, Senator Jerry Hill, and Senator Josh Becker. She also previously served her community working on elder abuse prevention with San Mateo County Adult Protective Services. Nicole serves on the Board of Directors for Samaritan House, the largest anti-poverty nonprofit in San Mateo County and on the board of the Home Association of North Central San Mateo (HANCSM). She is a former two-term San Mateo Community Relations Commissioner and the former chairwoman of the San Mateo County Democratic Party.
Nicole is a proud first-generation American, the first person in her family to graduate from college, and the first person of South Asian origin to serve on the San Mateo City Council. She has a degree in Political Science from San Jose State University.
Contact Nicole via email at nfernandez@smcgov.org or by phone at 650-599-1021.
Vanessa Smith
Legislative Aide
Vanessa was born and raised in District 4 to Central American immigrant parents and is a proud first-generation college graduate. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Spanish from San Diego State University and went on to complete her master’s degree in History at the University of Leeds. Before joining Supervisor Gauthier’s office, Vanessa worked as a program manager at East Palo Alto Community Alliance Neighborhood Development Organization (EPACANDO), where she led community land trust initiatives and housing preservation projects. Her passion for social justice began earlier, as she contributed to the Public Defender’s Office in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. Additionally, Vanessa served as a Program Fellow at Stanford Law School’s Immigrants’ Rights Clinic, where she visited detention centers to develop class action lawsuits, furthering her dedication to advocating for vulnerable communities.
Contact Vanessa via email at vsmith1@smcgov.org or by phone at 650-474-9480.
Connie Franco
Legislative Aide
With deep family roots in North Fair Oaks, Connie brings a strong sense of community, a resourceful approach, and unwavering dedication to public service in her work.
Before becoming a Legislative Aide for Supervisor Gauthier, Connie supported Supervisor Warren Slocum’s efforts to engage and uplift the community. Her professional background spans philanthropy, technology, and biotechnology, with roles at the Skoll Foundation and Guardant Health.
Connie holds an MBA from Sacramento State University and a BA in Sociology from San Francisco State University.
Contact Connie via email at cfperez@smcgov.org or by phone at 650-421-1144.
Joshua Caspillan
Policy Analyst & Community Liaison l Legislative Aide
Joshua is a dedicated public servant with extensive experience in the County of San Mateo. He has held roles, including Legislative Aide to former District 4 Supervisor and Board President Warren Slocum, Business Analyst and Community Outreach Specialist in the Office of Community Affairs, and intern at the Children’s Fund.
Joshua earned a B.S. in Health Science (Public Health) from California State University, East Bay. Guided by public health principles, he focuses on analyzing and recommending policies that address social determinants of health and promote equity while amplifying marginalized voices and experiences.
Contact Joshua via email at jcaspillan@smcgov.org or by phone at 650-542-1222.