Monica Saucedo
Senior Policy Fellow
Monica Saucedo, Senior Policy Fellow, conducts research on public policies related to the social safety net and their effect on Californians with low incomes. Her current work focuses on the CalFresh, CalWORKs, and SSI/SSP programs. The goal of her work is to promote equity in policy-making through robust research and build systems that improve the welfare of marginalized communities. Monica co-leads the development of research methodology best practices and supports the team with her technical expertise in rigorous research designs.
Before joining the Budget Center in 2023, Monica spent several years working in the nonprofit sector, where she coordinated programs aimed at closing equity gaps in education and expanding safety net coverage. While in graduate school, she worked at the California Policy Lab researching higher education and access to public assistance benefits. Monica holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and bachelor’s degrees in economics and mathematics from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.
When she’s not wrangling her three dogs, she enjoys simple activities like cooking, reading, and solving crossword puzzles.
meet the expert: Monica Saucedo
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Recent posts by Monica Saucedo
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Fact Sheet
H.R. 1 Cuts to CalFresh Exacerbate Hunger in Every Legislative District
key takeaway H.R. 1 includes the largest cuts in U.S. history to food assistance and health care programs, threatening billions in CalFresh funding and putting more than 3 million California households at risk of losing some or all of their food assistance. Access to health care and food assistance are critical for every Californian to …CalFreshSafety Net -
Fact Sheet
H.R. 1 Worsens Hunger Among Immigrant Families
key takeaway H.R. 1’s new eligibility restrictions will cause tens of thousands of Californians with humanitarian immigration statuses to lose or see significant reductions in CalFresh assistance, putting immigrant and mixed-status families at greater risk of hunger. CalFresh — California’s name for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — is a proven anti-poverty intervention and …CalFreshSafety Net -
Fact Sheet
Cronología de los Recortes de Financiamiento a Medi-Cal y CalFresh en California
Puntos clave Muchas disposiciones incluidas en el perjudicial megaproyecto de ley republicano, H.R. 1, y en el presupuesto estatal de California para 2025-2026 reducirán directamente el financiamiento federal y estatal destinado a Medi-Cal y CalFresh, poniendo a millones de californianos en riesgo de perder su cobertura de salud y asistencia alimentaria. Read this publication in …CalFreshFederal PolicyMedi-Cal -
5Facts
H.R. 1 Expands CalFresh Time Limits, Increasing Risk of Hunger
Recent federal actions introduced significant changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known as CalFresh in California, via the 2025 Republican megabill, H.R. 1. One of the major changes was to the time limit provision, which expanded the groups of people subject to time limits and eliminated some key exemptions for participants already facing …CalFreshSafety Net -
Fact Sheet
Timeline of Funding Cuts to Medi-Cal and CalFresh in California
key takeaway Many provisions in the harmful Republican megabill, H.R. 1, and the 2025-26 California state budget will directly reduce federal and state funding for Medi‑Cal and CalFresh, putting millions of Californians at risk of losing health care coverage and food assistance. Lea esta publicación en español. The recently enacted Republican megabill, H.R. 1, includes the …CalFreshFederal PolicyHealthMedi-CalSafety Net
