LaNiece Jones
Director of Community Engagement, Office of Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee

State President & CEO, Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA)

LaNiece Jones currently serves as the Director of Community Engagement for Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, where she leads initiatives that strengthen civic participation, build community partnerships, and advance the Mayor’s “One Oakland” vision to unify, uplift, and empower Oakland residents. She also serves as the State President and Chief Executive Officer of Black Women Organized for Political Action One (BWOPA-ONE), California’s leading volunteer advocacy organization dedicated to empowering and increasing the political influence of Black women across the state.

LaNiece spent over 15 years in corporate sales and marketing with Businessland, Citicorp, IBM, and AT&T/Comcast before founding lajones & associates in 1991 — a marketing, public relations, and events firm specializing in organizational strategy, electoral campaigns, and community organizing.

An Oakland native and proud product of Oakland public schools, LaNiece earned her Bachelor’s degree from California State University, Hayward (now CSU East Bay) and a Master’s degree in Social Entrepreneurship and Change from Pepperdine University in Los Angeles.

LaNiece is passionate about designing programs, events, and initiatives that increase the efficiency and impact of social businesses, enterprises, and community organizations. Her lifelong commitment centers on supporting Black women to lead authentically and building coalitions that drive economic success and community empowerment.

Previously, LaNiece served as Executive Director of the Peralta Colleges Foundation, where she was responsible for raising scholarship funds for students of Laney College, Merritt College, College of Alameda, and Berkeley City College. 

She is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Xi Gamma Omega Chapter (Oakland) and serves on the Far Western regional team as the state Co-Chair of the Connections committee.

LaNiece has held leadership roles as President of the Metropolitan Greater Oakland Democratic Club (MGO) and was an appointed member of the KQED Community Advisory Panel. 

A trusted political advisor, LaNiece served as a presiding co-chair of Congresswoman Barbara Lee’s Political Advisory Committee and was appointed by the Congresswoman as one of California’s 55 Presidential Electoral College voters in December 2020. She is also a previous member of the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG), working to reimagine and transform the Oakland Coliseum footprint.