Luis Montero-Adams

Luis Montero-Adams was born in Los Angeles and is the oldest child of two undocumented immigrants. Concerned about increasing violence, the family moved to San Diego when Luis was a young child. Years later, after his parents obtained United States citizenship, Luis’s family moved to back to Tijuana to be closer to their extended family. Choosing to continue attending school in San Diego, Luis joined his father as a member of the international commuter community. Although Luis has lived in San Diego since September 12, 2001, his binational roots have shaped his perspective and how he engages the region.

Soon after graduating from San Diego High School, Luis began his 10 years of service at Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. There, he held positions in each of the three pillars of the agency’s mission: education, health services, and advocacy. Introducing him to the San Diego progressive community, his time at Planned Parenthood also ignited his passion for community organizing, coalition building, and volunteer engagement.

In 2015, Luis enrolled at San Diego State University. In December 2017, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Women’s Studies with a minor in Latin American Studies. Following his graduation, Luis served as the Advocacy and Civic Engagement Manager at the San Diego LGBT Community Center. In this role, Luis led policy and budget advocacy at the city and county levels, and community outreach efforts for voter education, census, and redistricting. From 2022 to 2025, Luis served as the Director of Engage San Diego. Currently serving as the Government Affairs Advocacy Manager at Health Center Partners of Southern California, Luis is a passionate advocate and believes strongly in community organizing. Throughout his career he has worked in progressive organizations focusing on direct service, education, civic engagement, and policy.

Outside of Youth Will, Luis also serves on the Executive Board of the San Diego Leadership Alliance and Chairs the San Diego Community Power Community Advisory Committee.