Photo courtesy of Jessica Santos
By District 2 Public Affairs
Jessica Santos works in District 2 System Planning as a transportation planner. She just hit her year mark and is happy to have completed her probation period.
Jessica drives to Quincy once a month to attend the Plumas Transportation Commission meetings, where she reviews Project Initiation Documents (PIDs), assists Advance Planning staff in development of Transportation Planning Project Information Sheets (TPSIS), and helps with the development of system planning documents such as comprehensive multimodal corridor plans (CMCPs) along with other corridor studies.
Jessica started her career with Caltrans as a staff services analyst in Local Assistance and was in that branch for two years. Before working at Caltrans, Jessica worked at CalVet as a pharmacy technician and worked in the medical field for more than 14 years.
Jessica met her husband, Christian, playing slow pitch softball out at the old Big League Dreams complex, which is now the Redding Sports Complex. Jessica and Christian currently own the softball league and host league three nights a week.
Jessica and Christian have four kids: Eva (14), Eli (12), Asianah (4), and Mateo (1). The Santos family stays busy with multiple sports including at high school, with Eva having just started her freshman year.
Jessica went back to school after having her last child and received enough credits to become a transportation planner.
She has lived in Redding 95 percent of her life and has grown up watching the city thrive. Jessica also has a passion for baking that came before kids and softball, and she owns a home bakery.
“It’s been a blessing since I was in my early teens to see smiles on everyone’s faces when I can create something that they dream about but in dessert form,” she said.
Jessica added she is a dreamer with goals but also love a challenge. She loves working at Caltrans and looks forward to many more decades and trying to make a difference for the better.
How do you spend your time when you aren’t working? Lots of coffee with friends.
What is your favorite food or restaurant? Bar food. Good burger or BBQ.
What’s the greatest bit of advice you’ve ever been given? Live in the moment and make memories.
What is your favorite movie or tv show? Beauty and the Beast
What is the one skill every person should have? Communication
What is your favorite thing about working at Caltrans District 2? Our employees and our agencies. I love interacting with our local rule counties and meeting new people, seeing what they are struggling with, and how we can possibly help.