Photo taken by JP McWaters, courtesy of Macri-Ortiz.
SACRAMENTO — Assemblymember Steve Bennett (D-Oxnard) announces (March 16) that he has selected Barbara Macri-Ortiz as his 2026 Woman of the Year. In observation of Women’s History Month, the California Legislative Women’s Caucus allows state legislators to select a Woman of the Year. Accompanied by her son, Macri-Ortiz joins Asm. Bennett today in Sacramento for the Woman of the Year floor ceremony.
An attorney in private practice in Oxnard, Macri-Ortiz specializes in all aspects of affordable housing development, land use, and landlord-tenant law. Throughout her 39-year legal career she has focused on issues of importance to farm workers and other low wage workers.
Photo Courtesy of the Office of Asm. Steve Bennett.
Prior to opening her own practice in 2001, Barbara was the housing and education specialist at Channel Counties Legal Services Association for over ten years. She also worked with the United Farm Workers Union for over twenty years in various capacities, including Labor Attorney and House Counsel, Legal Department Administrator, Arbitration Division Director, Contract Administrator and Negotiator. Barbara has expertise in all facets of collective bargaining, and she served as a UFW organizer during many UFW campaigns in the late 1960s-1970s, including labor strikes, boycotts and ALRB elections. Barbara received her legal education through the UFW’s Legal Apprenticeship Program, and was admitted to the California State Bar in June 1987.
“The satisfaction I get is from serving our community. That’s the joy I get from this work,” said Barbara Macri-Ortiz. “I’ve been doing this because of the ability that I have to help other people with their legal troubles and each time is an opportunity to improve the community. It’s an honor to be recognized.”
“Thanks to her love of community and relentless advocacy skills, thousands of homes were created to house hardworking and vulnerable Ventura County families,” said Assemblymember Steve Bennett. “In addition to her heavy professional workload, she is mentoring the next generation of young attorneys by providing more feasible pathways to the often cost-prohibitive law school education. I’m genuinely pleased and honored to select her as Woman of the Year for California’s 38th Assembly District.”
“Barbara has been indispensable in many UFW campaigns. At every level, managing legal work, conducting arbitrations, negotiations and supporting organizing campaigns. Central Coast farm workers respect Barbara Macri-Ortiz because she has made their lives better,” said Irv Hershenbaum, 1st Vice President UFW.
Macri-Ortiz has provided the same opportunity to become an attorney without going to law school to others by serving as the sponsor and supervising attorney for a young woman who completed the apprenticeship program in 2007, passed the California Bar and has been a practicing attorney for 17 years. She is now serving as a Regional Director for the Agricultural Labor Relations Board. Currently, Macri-Ortiz is providing this opportunity to another young woman, who passed the First Year Law Student’s exam in 2025, and should be taking the California Bar Exam in 2029, after completing the four-year program.
— Steve Bennett represents the 38th Assembly District, which includes Camarillo, Fillmore, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, and Ventura. He is chair of the Budget Subcommittee No. 4 on Climate Change, Natural Resources, Energy and Transportation.