2013 membership directory -...

2013

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY

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As part of our ongoing effort to promote Hispanics in

the field of government relations, I want to introduce

you to our first ever Hispanic Lobbyists Association

(HLA) e-Directory of our members.

As the role of Hispanics in American politics and

business continues to grow, more Hispanics now serve

in public and leadership positions. However, with

increased participation comes increased awareness on

issues impacting the Hispanic community and an

increased need for advocates to ensure proper

understanding of those issues.

Therefore, since the Association was formed in 2006

by a group of Washington advocates, we are

continuously striving to organize Hispanic lobbyists across the country into an

organization to promote communication, education, and bipartisanship. The HLA is

dedicated to mentoring Hispanic youth and professionals seeking to enter the

government relations profession. And most importantly, we encourage the highest

standards of service and conduct by professionals engaged in governmental advocacy.

Please feel free to use this e-directory as a reference and guide to the hard-working

Hispanics that are currently working in the lobbying and advocacy professions here in

Washington.

If we can ever be of assistance to you and your offices, please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

Omar Franco

President

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Areas of Expertise 5

Members

Dean Aguillen – Ogilvy Government Relations 12

Cristina Antelo – Podesta Group 14

Carlos A. Becerra – Florida International University 15

Manuel E. Bonilla – American Society of Anesthesiologists 16

Luis Campillo – Ibarra Strategy Group 17

Alfred Campos – NEA 18

Pete Carrillo – Silicon Valley Advisors 19

Reynaldo V. Casas – Viacom 20

Wendy D. Cervantes – First Focus Campaign 21

Annie Chavez – USTelecom 22

Brandon Torres Declet – McAllister & Quinn 23

Andrea Zuniga DiBitetto – AFL-CIO 24

Ingrid Duran – D&P Creative Strategies 25

David D. Ferreira – Ferreira Strategies 26

Roberto Adrian Fierro – D&P Creative Strategies 28

Omar Franco – Becker & Poliakoff 29

Belinda Garza – Walmart 30

Marc Gonzales – USTelecom 31

Bert Gomez – Univision 32

Mickey Ibarra – Ibarra Strategy Group 34

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Maritza Isaura Kelley – Samsung 35

Liz Lopez – Barnes & Thornburg 36

Richard F. Lopez – Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers 37

Moses Mercado – Ogilvy Government Relations 39

Melissa Zamora McLaughlin – Groundswell Communications 41

Juan F. Otero – Comcast 42

Catherine Pino – D&P Creative Strategies 43

Chuck Rocha – Solidarity Strategies 44

Susan Santana – AT&T 45

Max Sevillia – NALEO 46

Maximiliano (Max) Trujillo – Tonio Burgos & Associates 47

Santiago ‘Rico’ Vaca – S Vaca & Associates 48

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Areas of Expertise

Appropriations

Brandon Torres Declet

David Ferreira

Omar Franco

Max Sevillia

Children’s Issues

Wendy Cervantes

Civil Rights

Max Sevillia

Corporate Social Responsibility

Maritza Isaura Kelley

Cybersecurity

Annie Chavez


Susan Santana

Max Trujillo

6

Defense (DoD)


Liz Lopez

Santiago 'Rico' Vaca

Education

Carlos A. Becerra

Luis Campillo

Alfred Campos

Roberto Fierro

Omar Franco


Max Sevillia

Energy & Commerce

Moses Mercado

Environment

Moses Mercado

Financial Services

David Ferreira

Liz Lopez

7

Foreign Affairs/Relations


Grants


Grassroots Programs

David Ferreira

Belinda Garza

Melissa Zamora McLaughlin

Health Care

Manuel Bonilla

Omar Franco

Belinda Garza

Maximiliano Trujillo

Higher Education

Carlos A. Becerra

Reynaldo Casas

Omar Franco

Max Sevillia

8

Hispanic Outreach

Luis Campillo

Ingrid Duran

David Ferreira

Omar Franco

Mickey Ibarra

Liz Lopez

Homeland Security

Cristina Antelo


Max Sevillia


Human Rights

Wendy Cervantes

Immigration

Luis Campillo

Wendy Cervantes

Andrea Zuniga DiBitetto

Ingrid Duran

Chuck Rocha

Max Sevillia

Max Trujillo

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Information Technology (IT)

Dean Aguillen


Susan Santana

Intelligence


Judiciary

Cristina Antelo


Max Sevillia

Labor


Chuck Rocha

Land Use

Pete Carrillo

Media

Reynaldo Casas

Ingrid Duran

Bert Gomez

Juan Otero

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Municipalities

Pete Carrillo

Max Sevillia

Native American Issues

Liz Lopez

Non-Profit Development

Ingrid Duran

Catherine Pino

Philanthropy

Ingrid Duran

Catherine Pino

Political Campaigns


Chuck Rocha

Puerto Rico


Max Trujillo

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Taxation

Cristina Antelo

Liz Lopez

Telecommunications

Dean Aguillen

Luis Campillo

Annie Chavez

Ingrid Duran

Bert Gomez

Juan Otero

Susan Santana

Maximiliano Trujillo

Trade

Liz Lopez

Transportation

Dean Aguillen

Cristina Antelo

Omar Franco

Rich Lopez

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Dean Aguillen

Principal

Ogilvy Government Relations

Area of Expertise: Telecommunications, Technology, Transportation

Phone: 202-729-4200

Email: [email protected]

Dean Aguillen joined Ogilvy Government Relations in 2007 and currently provides

counsel to some of the top corporations in the United States on government relations

and political strategy. As a native Texan and someone who has worked for many years

in the California delegation, he is keenly alert to the issues in the Southwest and West.

Named one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States in 2007 by

Hispanic Business magazine, Aguillen previously served as a senior adviser and

director of member services in the Office of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). He was one

of the Speaker’s primary advisers on matters pertaining to members of Congress and

played a key role in the formulation of the Speaker’s agenda. As a member of the

Speakers staff, he worked closely with many governments in Latin America and traveled

extensively throughout the region. Aguillen joined Congresswoman Pelosi’s staff in

2002 after her election to House Democratic leadership as Democratic Whip. During

this time he served as a liaison to Democratic members and their staffs and advised

them on legislative strategy, parliamentary procedures and floor scheduling.

Besides his work in Congress, numerous campaigns, and various political and

governmental organizations, Aguillen had the privilege of working for the Clinton

Administration. On July 5, 1999, President Clinton appointed Aguillen to the position of

special assistant in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs at the US

Department of Labor. He was later promoted to director of intergovernmental affairs

and chief of staff for congressional affairs. In these various capacities at the

Department, Aguillen reviewed and analyzed significant congressional and executive

administration proposals and issues pertaining to or affecting the nation’s workforce. In

addition, he served as a liaison between the Department and the Congressional

Hispanic Caucus and intergovernmental organizations, including the US Conference of

Mayors and the National Conference of State Legislators.

Aguillen is frequently cited as a government relations expert in publications such as the

Wall Street Journal, Politico, Roll Call and The Hill. He currently serves as Chairman of

the Board for Avance, Inc., a national nonprofit organization based in San Antonio,

mailto:[email protected]

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Texas, focusing on early childhood education. He is a board member of the

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.

Aguillen received his bachelor’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in

Nacogdoches, Texas, with double majors in political science and communications,

radio-television. He later received his master’s degree in public communications at

American University in Washington, DC.

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Cristina Antelo

Principal

Podesta Group

Area of Expertise: Taxation, Transportation, Judiciary,

Homeland Security

Phone: 202-320-8236

Email Address: [email protected]

When advocating for clients – whether they are involved in financial services,

intellectual property, international trade, health care, energy or aerospace – Cristina

Antelo brings a vault of experience and know-how honed on and off Capitol Hill. Not

only does she maneuver the halls of the US Senate and House with ease, but she’s

also been comfortable working the trading floors of financial markets.

Earlier in her career, Cristina was an investment banker at Goldman Sachs Group Inc.,

where she oversaw eight analysts in the company’s wealth management division,

conducted trading and portfolio management, and gained hands-on knowledge about

regulatory requirements and reporting.

But it was when she caught a news story about Elian Gonzales from a trading floor in

Los Angeles that Cristina realized government work was where she was meant to be.

She attended The George Washington University Law School and became a legal

fellow for the Senate Democratic Steering Committee, then chaired by Secretary of

State Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and former Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD). Before joining

the Podesta Group, Cristina worked with the government affairs practice of a leading

Washington, DC, law firm, representing foreign governments, trade, financial services

and appropriations clients.

Cristina brings another dimension to helping clients navigate the changing political

environment: A native Spanish speaker, she is a founding member and president of the

Hispanic Lobbyists Association and a board member of the Hispanic Bar Association of

DC Foundation. She is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the Washington,

DC, chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. In 2009, as part of its Young

Hispanic Leaders Program, the Embassy of Spain honored her for her essay, “What

Does It Mean to Be Hispanic in the US?”

A true Texan, born and raised in Dallas, Cristina holds a Juris Doctor from The George

Washington University Law School and a bachelor's from Georgetown University.


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Carlos A. Becerra

Director of Federal Relations

Florida International University

Area of Expertise: Higher education and University

Research; STEM Education Policy

Phone: 305-439-8158


Carlos Becerra represents the university's interests before Congress, advances our

research agenda with federal agencies and manages our presence in the nation's

capital. An FIU alumnus, Carlos brings over 15 years of experience advancing public

education in urban cities and leveraging relationships to achieve intergovernmental

collaboration in the public sector. At the National League of Cities, Carlos assisted

mayors in acquiring federal resources to support youth employment strategies.

Previously, he served as Chief of Staff to the Chairman of the Miami-Dade School

Board, managing policy development, media outreach and served as a liaison with

other elected officials. He has extensive experience in grassroots campaigns, having

helped manage six local races. Carlos has been advancing FIU's agenda since serving

as two-term student body president and later, leading alumni relations and annual

fundraising. In those roles, he led student and alumni advocacy campaigns for the

establishment of a College of Law and approval of intercollegiate football.


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Manuel E. Bonilla

Chief Advocacy Officer

American Society of Anesthesiologists

Area of Expertise: Healthcare, Physician Issues, Political Action

Committee (PAC) Operations

Phone: 202-289-2222


Manuel Bonilla is the Chief Advocacy Officer for the Washington, DC office of the

American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), the nation’s largest association of

physicians who are anesthesiologists. The ASA is an educational, research and

scientific association of more than 50,000 members organized to raise and maintain the

standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology and to improve the care of patients.

In his role as CAO, Manuel oversees the organization’s advocacy division which

includes departments covering legislative, political, payment, regulatory, health policy

research and state affairs content areas. Manuel also serves as ASA’s principal in-

house lobbyist to the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. Additionally, he

provides primary staff support for the association’s political activities including the

operations of ASAPAC, one of the 50 largest political action committees in the country

and the nation’s largest physician committee.

Manuel has nearly two decades of experience in health care legislation and politics. He

began his career in Washington, D.C. as a health care legislative aide in the U.S.

Senate. His previous experience includes working as a Congressional lobbyist for the

American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Manuel is a graduate of Washington & Lee University and has a M.S. in Health Care

Management from Marymount University.


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Luis Campillo

Senior Associate

Ibarra Strategy Group (ISG)

Area of Expertise: Telecommunications, Immigration,

Education, Hispanic Outreach, Advocacy, Alumni

engagement, Leadership Development

Phone: 202-904-2002


Luis is a Senior Associate at the Ibarra Strategy Group (ISG) with federal legislative and

advocacy experience who assists clients with strategy development, issue advocacy,

and outreach to government entities, national and community organizations. Prior to

joining the ISG, Luis worked as a Legislative Correspondent in the DC Office of Senator

Jack Reed (D- RI), covering Social Security, senior, housing, and health care related

issues. He also served as Senator Reed’s liaison to the Senate Democratic Hispanic

Taskforce.

Luis was a 2004-2005 Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Public Policy

Fellow and worked at the National Immigration Law Center (NILC) on labor and

education issues. Luis assisted with the planning and execution of activities for the

Low-Wage Immigrant Worker (LWIW) Coalition and also supported NILC’s advocacy

work around the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act.

Luis is currently serving his second term as President of the CHCI Alumni Association.

In this capacity, Luis serves as a full voting member of the CHCI Board of Directors

alongside Members of Congress, nonprofit, union and corporate leaders.

Luis graduated from Brown University in 2004 with a Bachelor's of Art in Political

Science. He served four year as a member of the Board of Governors of the Brown

Alumni Association. Luis is currently pursuing a Master in Business Administration on a

part-time basis at the Johns Hopkins University Carey Business School and is expected

to graduate in 2014. Luis is also a 2012-2013 Bryce Harlow Foundation Fellow.


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Alfred Campos

Federal Lobbyist

National Education Association

Area of Expertise: Education

Phone: 202-822-7345


Alfred Campos is a Federal Lobbyist in the Government Relations Department of the

National Education Association (NEA), a leading organization advancing the cause of

public education. He is responsible for advancing NEA’s interests concerning federal

legislative and regulatory issues concerning taxation, pensions, Social Security, health

care, international education, and school finance. Moreover, he is NEA’s liaison to the

Congressional Hispanic Caucus and a trustee to the Employees’ Retirement Plan of the

National Education Association. Before joining NEA, he worked for the Financial

Planning Association as Counsel and Assistant Director of Government Relations. Mr.

Campos began his political career as Legislative Counsel for Representative Sheila

Jackson Lee (D-Tex.) and as a Legislative Assistant for former Senator Charles S.

Robb (D-Va.). He also practiced law as an attorney for the law firm of Porter, Wright,

Morris and Arthur LLP and was a senior insurance underwriter for the Chubb

Corporation, a multinational insurance company.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the State University of New York at

Albany and a Juris Doctor from Western New England College School of Law. He has

also studied international business transactions and international environmental law

through the American University European Comparative Law Program at Paris-

Sorbonne and Geneva. Alfred is admitted to practice law in Connecticut, the District of

Columbia, the United States Tax Court, and the United States Supreme Court. He is

also an alumnus of the International Career Advancement Program (ICAP) and an

Aspen Institute Socrates Society Scholar.


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Pete Carrillo

Principal and Owner

Silicon Valley Advisors

Area of Expertise: Government Relations, Lobbying and Land

Use Planning for Private Sector and Trade Associations

Phone: 408-999-7350


Silicon Valley Advisors, LLC was established in 2000. The corporate office is located in

San Jose, CA. Core Services include Government Relations, Lobbying and Land Use

Planning. SVA provides comprehensive diversified real estate development consulting,

government relations and business procurement services within the fastest growing

urban markets and Tribal communities in the western United States. Creating value

and developing cost-effective strategies are hallmarks of our high profile reputation.

SVA adopts its clients’ objectives as its own and crafts entitlement and advocacy

strategies that take projects to completion. The approach is simple: with thoughtful

analysis, quality services and creative solutions, SVA manages for success. We turn

obstacles into opportunities and forge critical solutions for our clients. Our Principals

are known for their hands-on approach. Our advocacy efforts reflect a keen judgment

that comes from years of experience. We educate decision-makers and provide

reasonable solutions for diverse stakeholders. We earn and retain the trust of our

clients.


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Reynaldo V. Casas

Manager, Government Relations

Viacom (MTV Networks, BET Networks, Paramount

Pictures)

Area of Expertise: Media Entertainment, Higher

Education

Phone: 202-785-6356


Reynaldo Casas is currently the Government Relations Manager for Viacom which

includes MTV Networks, BET Networks and Paramount Pictures. Reynaldo is one of

the company’s leading advocates in Washington, advising its senior executives on a

wide range of policy matters affecting the entertainment industry. Reynaldo works very

closely with MTV Networks and BET Networks on an array of pro-social initiatives,

including “Get Yourself Tested”, “Choose or Lose”, “A Thin Line”.

Before coming to Viacom, Reynaldo headed up the Public Affairs Department for MTV

Tr3s and was responsible for such campaigns as “Agentes de Cambio” and “Get

Schooled.” He has also worked on films such as “Pedro”, “Yearbook Chronicles”, “9500

Liberty” and “Transformers 3”.

Before working in the world of entertainment and television, Reynaldo worked in higher

education for 8 years as Assistant Director of Admissions for The University of Texas at

Arlington. He also had the good fortune of serving as Outreach Manager for the

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute for 3 years, creating the “Ready to Lead”

program.

Reynaldo graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1996 with a B.A in

Public Policy. In the same year, he also served as Lyndon Baines Johnson Fellow in

the Clinton Administration.

Reynaldo resides in Washington, D.C and New York City and is also involved in many

other charities such as Cielo Latino and National Hispanic Institute.


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Wendy D. Cervantes

Vice President, Immigration & Child Rights Policy

First Focus Campaign for Children

Area of Expertise: Immigration, Child Welfare, Children’s

Issues, Human Rights

Phone: 202-657-0637


Wendy Cervantes is the Vice President of Immigration and Child Rights Policy at the

First Focus Campaign for Children, a national c(4) children’s advocacy organization

based in Washington, DC. In this role she is responsible for leading the organization’s

work in cross-cutting policy areas that impact children of immigrants including

immigration, child welfare, education, human rights, family economics, and health. She

has worked at the local, national, and international level to promote policies and

programs to improve the lives of vulnerable immigrant children and families. Previous

positions include working for La Plaza, a Latino community-based organization in

Indiana, as well as the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Center for Economic

Justice. She currently serves on the Advisory Board of the We Belong Together

Campaign and as the Policy Co-chair of the Migration and Child Welfare National

Network. In 2011, she was selected as an ALL IN Fellow with the National Hispana

Leadership Institute. The proud daughter of Mexican immigrants, she holds an M.A. in

Latin American Studies and Political Science from the University of New Mexico and a

B.A. in Communications from the University of Southern California.


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Annie Chávez

Director Government Affairs

USTelecom Association

Area of Expertise: Telecommunications, Cybersecurity

Phone: 202-326-7252


Annie Chávez is a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico. In Albuquerque she taught

middle and high school and practiced business law. She moved to D.C. to work as a

Legislative Counsel for Senator Jeff Bingaman. After more than 6 years with Senator

Bingaman, Annie joined USTelecom’s Government Affairs office in June of 2010.


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Vice President

McAllister & Quinn

Area of Expertise: Defense, Homeland Security,

Intelligence, Technology

Phone: 202-296-2741


Brandon Torres Declet serves as Vice President at McAllister & Quinn. Brandon brings

more than a decade of experience working among senior government officials

internationally and at the federal, state and local level. He has served as Counsel to

Senator Dianne Feinstein on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and as Counsel to

Representative Bennie Thompson on the House Committee on Homeland Security. As

Counsel on the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, he had the honor of serving during

the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justices Sotomayor and Kagan. In

addition, he played a significant role in shaping landmark pieces of legislation into law

including, Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007, Cell

Phone Contraband Act of 2010, and Combat Methamphetamine Enhancement Act of

2010.

He was previously a Senior Fellow at the Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI) at

George Washington University, an advisor to the NYPD Counter Terrorism Bureau and

an adjunct professor at the Whitehead School of Diplomacy & International Relations at

Seton Hall University. He also served as an analyst and attorney with SAIC.

Brandon earned a B.A. from Union College, a J.D. from the Fordham University School

of Law and an L.L.M. from the Georgetown University Law Center. He serves on the

board of directors of the Hispanic Lobbyists Association and on the board of advisors for

the Homeland Security & Defense Business Council and the Government Technology &

Services Coalition.


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Legislative Representative

AFL-CIO

Area of Expertise: Labor, Immigration

Phone: 202-639-6242


Andrea Zuniga DiBitetto is a Legislative Representative for the American Federation of

Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). The AFL-CIO is a voluntary

federation of 57 national and international labor unions that represents 12.2 million

members, including 3.2 million members in Working America, its community affiliate.

Mrs. DiBitetto advocates on the AFL-CIO’s behalf for immigration, state employees and

wage theft legislative issues. Prior to joining AFL-CIO, she was Legislative Affairs

Specialist for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees

(AFSCME). At AFSCME, she covered a broad array of legislative issues; lead primary

campaigns in Nevada, California, Texas and Puerto Rico; and coordinated Hispanic

voter outreach efforts.

Mrs. DiBitetto holds a Juris Doctor degree from the George Washington University Law

School and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the American University. She

also serves on the Executive Board of the Labor Council for Latin American

Advancement and the Hispanic Lobbyists Association.


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Ingrid Duran

Co-Founder & Principal

D&P Creative Strategies

Area of Expertise: Leadership, Capacity Building,

Partnerships & Alliances, Third party advocacy, Hispanic

Outreach

Phone: 703-671-7365


Ingrid M. Duran is Co-Founder & Principal of D&P Creative Strategies, a company that

she and partner Catherine founded in 2004 to increase the role of corporate, legislative

and philanthropic efforts in addressing the concerns of Latinos, women, and gay,

lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) communities. Prior to starting D&P, Ingrid

was President & CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute.

Following a tour in the US Marine Corps, Ingrid worked for six years on Capitol Hill,

serving under the Clerk of the US House of Representatives, working on the House

Banking Committee under the leadership of Rep. Henry B. Gonzalez, Chairman and

Rep. Gene Green as a Legislative Aide

Ingrid also ran the Washington, DC office of the National Association of Latino Elected

and Appointed Officials, where she was responsible for representing Latino community

interests to Congress and the Administration.

She was tapped by President Bill Clinton to serve on the President's Advisory

Committee on HIV/AIDS, and was appointed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the

Minority Veterans Advisory Board. In 2000, she became the first gay Latina to serve on

the Human Rights Campaign Board of Directors. She Currently serves on the boards of

The Futuro Media Group, The Velvet Foundation, National Council of La Raza Action

Fund and PODER PAC.

Together, Ingrid and Catherine founded PODER PAC a political action committee by

Latinas for Latinas. PODER PAC is a national effort to increase the number of Latinas

elected at all levels of government.

They also, created two production companies, Brown Beauty Productions and Milagro

Productions to effect social change through film. Ingrid has served as an Executive

Producer on HBO’s The Latino List 1&2, and is working on The Out List which, aired on

HBO June 27th of 2013, and was an Associate Producer on a documentary titled The

Harvest.


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David D. Ferreira

Founder & Principal

Ferreira Strategies LLC

Area of Expertise: Issue Advocacy Campaigns, Political

Intelligence, Financial Services, Appropriations

Phone: 202-656-2660


David D. Ferreira is the founder and principal of Ferreira Strategies LLC, a full service

government relations firm based in Washington, DC. Mr. Ferreira, an accomplished

government affairs and legislative policy specialist with over 15 years of expertise in

public policy advocacy as well as federal appropriations, infrastructure authorizations,

and legislative and political process/strategy.

Prior to entering private practice, Mr. David Ferreira was Vice President for Government

Relations at the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In this capacity, Mr.

Ferreira oversaw all areas of government relations: policy formulation and advocacy,

drafting and managing legislation, communications with Congress and government

agencies, and successfully securing federal appropriations for the organization. Mr.

Ferreira also served as Executive Director of the National Hispanic Caucus of State

Legislators.

Over the years, Mr. Ferreira has served as a regular commentator on public policy and

legislative issues with regular appearances on outlets like NPR, Wall Street Journal, AP,

Routers, CNN, Newshour, Univision and Telemundo. Mr. Ferreira also negotiated and

helped manage the 2008 Democratic Presidential Debate in Las Vegas NV.

Prior to joining the USHCC in 2006, Mr. Ferreira was the Senior Advisor and Legislative

Director for Congressman Joe Baca (D-CA). In this role, he successfully directed the

Congressman’s efforts on his higher priority legislative goals and secured federal

resources for the Congressional District through federal appropriations and

authorizations.

Mr. Ferreira was also a White House political appointee in the Clinton Administration,

serving as Special Assistant for budget and appropriations to the Chief Financial Officer

at the U.S. Department of Energy. In this capacity he was responsible for

appropriations and budget, Congressional relations and aiding in the agency’s

management. Such duties included aiding in the overall formulation of the DOE budget,


27

the appeal of the OMB passback, and the process of external coordination with House

Appropriations Committee staff.

Prior to his appointment in the Clinton Administration, Mr. Ferreira served as Legislative

Assistant for appropriations to former Congressman Esteban Torres, a senior

appropriator and the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Operations subcommittee.

Mr. Ferreira was deeply involved with President Barack Obama’s campaign during the

2007‑2008 election cycle and for his reelection. As an early supporter of then‑Senator

Obama, he was a founding member and leader within the structure of Latinos for

Obama. Mr. Ferreira also worked closely with the campaign, field, political and policy

staff to provide knowledge and expertise on issue areas important to the Hispanic and

small business communities. Those efforts stretched into assisting the Presidential

Transition Teams on issues related to small business and financial services. In

previous campaign cycles Mr. Ferreira has served as a GOTV consultant for the

Democratic National Committee, was a founding member and Finance Chair of Latinos

for Dean, and has been involved in other campaigns.

Mr. Ferreira received his Bachelors degree of International Affairs from the George

Washington University. He is a founding board member of the Hispanic Lobbyists

Association and a member of various civic groups.

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Roberto Adrian Fierro

Senior Associate for Government Relations


Area of Expertise: Education, Non-profit Management, Public-

Private Partnerships

Phone: 703-671-7365


Roberto Adrian Fierro is a Senior Associate at D&P Creative Strategies and represents

clients' interests on Capitol Hill. He assists in the development of strategies for clients

and works with third party organizations on policy issues. Previously, Roberto served as

Vice President of a political consulting firm, where he honed his political skills and

helped to elect the most diverse U.S. Congress in American history and re-elect

President Barack Obama.

During that time Roberto expanded on his already extensive relationships with the

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, Congressional Hispanic Caucus and

Congressional Hispanic Staff Association networks and formed close ties with members

of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and

the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

In 2008, Roberto was selected as the Azteca America Foundation International Affairs

Fellow with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. During his fellowship, he

worked for the World Bank's Civil Society Team and in Mexico City with the Mexican

Senate's Bicameral National Intelligence Committee.

After the fellowship, Roberto taught 9th grade World History in Washington D.C. His

dedication to young people and education coupled with his passion for social and

environmental justice inspired him to create a nonprofit organization with his wife

Natalie. The Institute for Student Health continues the work it started in San Diego, CA

by now facilitating and encouraging healthy eating and an active lifestyle in Washington,

DC.


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Omar Franco

Managing Director

Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.

Area of Expertise: Appropriations, Health Care, Transportation,

Education, Hispanic issues and Florida

Phone: 202-731-3401


Omar Franco is currently a federal lobbyist in Becker & Poliakoff’s Government Law &

Lobbying Practice and is the Managing Director of the Washington D.C. office. Omar

serves on the Board of Directors for the American League of Lobbyists (ALL) where he

completed the ALL's Lobbying Certificate Program (LCP). Omar represents Intuit,

Algenol Biofuels, Dade Medical College, and Palm Beach County, FL, among others.

Omar began federal lobbying in 1999 when he became Director of Governmental

Relations for the University of Miami's School of Medicine. In 2001, University of Miami

President Donna Shalala promoted him to Assistant Vice President of Governmental

Relations where he represented the university at both the federal and state levels of

government.

In 2003, Omar served as Chief of Staff for Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL),

where he managed the Congressman's Washington D.C. and district operations and

closely counseling the Congressman in his areas of expertise which include federal

appropriations, health care, transportation, higher education and issues dealing with

Hispanics and the state of Florida. During his tenure, Omar assisted in founding the

Congressional Hispanic Conference and the Congressional Hispanic Leadership

Institute.

Active in Hispanic political organizations, Omar serves as the President of the Hispanic

Lobbyist Association (HLA) after having served on the Board of Directors for five years.

Omar also serves on the Corporate Advisory Board of the Congressional Hispanic

Leadership Institute (CHLI). In addition, he is the federal lobbyist for the Friends of the

National Museum of the American Latino.


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Belinda Garza

Director, Federal Government Relations

Walmart

Area of Expertise: Healthcare, Grassroots Programs

Phone: 202-434-0999


Belinda Garza joined Walmart in 2003, where she currently serves as a Director of

Federal Government Relations. She handles various policy issues as they arise, and

manages political projects for the company, with a focus on Democrats. In her years at

the company, she has managed federal health care policy, financial services, privacy,

and other issues of importance to the nation’s largest private employer. Belinda also

enjoys working with Hispanic special interest groups that focus on federal public policy

issues.

Prior to joining Walmart, Belinda worked in the office of Congressman Ciro D.

Rodriguez of Texas.

Belinda serves on the boards of the Capital Area Food Bank and the Congressional

Hispanic Leadership Institute. She is also a founding member of the Hispanic Lobbyists

Association and has served on the boards and volunteered with local non-profits in the

greater Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Belinda is a graduate of The University of Texas at San Antonio, where she received a

Bachelor of Business Administration in Management, concentrating in International

Business.


31

Marc C. Gonzales

Vice President, Congressional Affairs

USTelecom Association

Area of Expertise: Telecommunications

Phone: 202-326-7291


Marc Gonzales is currently Vice President, Congressional Affairs at the United States

Telecom Association (USTelecom), a position he has held since February 2008.

USTelecom is the nation’s premier trade association representing service providers and

suppliers for the telecom industry, whose diverse member base ranges from large

publicly traded communications corporations to small private cooperatives – all

providing advanced communications services to markets both urban and rural.

Prior to joining USTelecom, he served as Vice President, Congressional Affairs at the

Air Transport Association (now Airlines for America) from 2004 to 2008. In this role,

Marc was responsible for advocating issues of importance to the U.S. passenger and

cargo airlines.

From 1995 to 2004, Marc worked on the staff of Rep. Gene Green (D-TX), serving in

multiple capacities, including as Administrative Assistant for seven years.

Marc also worked for the Texas Office of State-Federal Relations in Washington under

the late Ann W. Richards, former Governor of the State of Texas, and before his move

to Washington, served on the staffs of several members of the Texas Legislature.

Marc received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Angelo State University in San Angelo,

Texas and is married to Karissa Willhite. He remains active in numerous charities,

including serving as the finance committee co-chairman for the 2013 March of Dimes

Gourmet Gala.


32

Bert Gomez

Senior Vice President, Government Relations

Univision Communications Inc.

Area of Expertise: Telecommunications, Broadcasting,

Television, Radio

Phone: 202-589-2550


Bert Gomez is senior vice president of Government Relations for Univision

Communications Inc., the leading media company serving Hispanic America. In this

position, he leads the Government Relations efforts for the company as Univision’s chief

lobbyist in Washington, D.C., is responsible for the activities of the company before

Congress and other government bodies, oversees all relationships and contact with

policy makers in the U.S. and works with the regulatory and legal team on Federal

Communications Commission and other agency matters.

Mr. Gomez has an extensive working knowledge of the interplay between Congress, the

administration, relevant agencies, local governments, industry stakeholders and

community organizations. He manages Univision’s team of consultants in Washington

and directs the activities of the company’s Political Action Committee (PAC).

He previously served as Univision’s vice president of Government Relations and

Political Strategy. Mr. Gomez founded the company’s Government Relations

department and has since effectively transformed the company’s relations and influence

in the political, policy, and third-party outreach arena.

Prior to joining Univision in 2007, Mr. Gomez spent 17 years with RJR Nabisco and R.J.

Reynolds Tobacco Company in various corporate functions within Sales, Marketing,

Corporate Affairs, and Government Relations and was based in Florida and

Washington. Most recently at R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Mr. Gomez was the

director of Government Relations, advocating for company positions in Congress,

directed the PAC activities of the company, and was the point person with community

organizations and leaders.

Earlier in his career, he spent 5 years with the Dow Chemical Company in various

corporate functions within Sales, Marketing, and Latin America Division, and was based

in Florida and South Carolina.

A native of Cuba, Mr. Gomez grew up in Miami, Florida and is fluent in Spanish. He is a

founding board member of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) and


33

also serves on the board of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). He

works with many other national organizations and industry associations and is a

member of the Hispanic Lobbyist Association, has been a speaker and guest lecturer on

corporate lobbying and Government Relations, and he coaches youth baseball in the

Washington area.

Mr. Gomez holds a B.B.A. from the University of Miami and an M.B.A. from City

University of Seattle. He is married to Susan Santana, a lawyer and a lobbyist for

AT&T, has three children, and lives in McLean, Virginia.

34

Mickey Ibarra

President & Founder

Ibarra Strategy Group

Area of Expertise: Ibarra Strategy Group is a leading

government and public affairs firm that specializes in

advocacy services, intergovernmental affairs and Latino

outreach.

Phone: 202-969-8777


Mickey Ibarra is President of the Ibarra Strategy Group, a government relations and

public affairs firm based in Washington, D.C.

He is the founder and chairman of the Latino Leaders Network, a non-profit organization

dedicated to “bringing leaders together”, to establish relationships and dialogue on

issues important to the Latino community.

In addition, Mr. Ibarra is a board member of MALDEF and the Ibarra Foundation. He

served as the Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the

White House for President Clinton; 1997-2001.

Mr. Ibarra received the inaugural Medallion of Excellence for Government Relations

from the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute in 2012 and the NALEO President’s Award

in 2001. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University, the University of Utah, and the

recipient of an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Utah in

2007.


35


Senior Manager of Government Relations

Samsung

Area of Expertise: Corporate Social Responsibility,

Information & Communications Technology, STEM

Education.

Phone: 202-552-3027


Maritza Isaura Kelley is the Senior Manager of Government Relations for Samsung, the

world’s largest technology company. Maritza brings to Samsung advocacy experience

at both the federal and state levels. Before joining Samsung, she worked as the Senior

Director of Advocacy and Legislative Affairs for First Focus, an organization dedicated

to making Children & Families a priority in federal policy. Maritza came to First Focus

from the Ibarra Strategy Group (ISG), where she handled a diverse portfolio of non-

profit and corporate clients, advancing their public policy goals with elected officials,

communities of color and advocacy organizations. Prior to joining ISG, she worked four

years at the Texas State Capitol. During the 2009 81st Legislature, she led the policy

direction and coordinated consensus building among 44 Members of the Mexican

American Legislative Caucus, the largest and oldest Latino caucus in the United States.

During the 2007 80th Legislature, she worked as a research analyst at Moak, Casey

and Associates, providing in-depth analyses of education legislation for client school

districts.

Maritza received a Dual-Masters of Public Affairs and Latin American Studies from the

University of Texas Austin. She holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Latin American and Latino

Studies from the University of California Santa Cruz.

Maritza also currently serves on the board of the Hispanic Lobbyists Association. She

is a native speaker of Spanish.


36

Liz Lopez

Of Counsel

Barnes & Thornburg LLP

Area of Expertise: Defense, Financial Services, Native

American, Taxes, and Trade.

Phone: 202-371-6376


Ms. Lopez is a member of Barnes & Thornburg’s Federal Relations Group in

Washington, D.C. B&T is among the 100 largest law firms in the U.S. with over 500

attorneys in 12 offices. Ms. Lopez develops and communicates clients’ policy positions

to members of Congress, administration officials and foreign government

representatives. She has worked with House and Senate leadership, and works closely

with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Ms. Lopez has more than 10 years of public

and private sector experience having served as a prosecutor, counsel to Fortune 500

companies, and government affairs advisor. Ms. Lopez is a prominent political

strategist and has been featured on national political shows on radio and television,

including BBC, CNN, CNN en Español, NBC, Univision and Telemundo. She has been

recognized as a national leader and been selected as one of seven attorneys

nationwide to receive the prestigious 2013 Top Lawyers under Forty Award from the

Hispanic National Bar Association. In 2012, Ms. Lopez was selected by the U.S.

Department of State to participate in its international outreach program surrounding the

2012 Presidential election. She travelled to Colombia, Ecuador, and Paraguay as part

of a bipartisan delegation. Ms. Lopez has served on various boards including the

Hispanic Lobbyists Association. She graduated with an A.B. from the University of

Chicago and earned her J.D. from Boston College Law School.


37

Richard F. Lopez

Director, Federal Government Affairs

Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers

Area of Expertise: Transportation

Phone: 202-326-5591


Rich Lopez currently serves as Director of Federal Government Affairs for the Alliance

of Automobile Manufacturers whose membership is comprised of over 85 percent of the

world’s automakers who have a presence in the United States. In his role at the

Alliance, Rich works with the Hispanic community on issues of concern to the auto

industry, formulates coalitions with Hispanic groups that hold similar auto related

interests and helps organize Hispanic representatives from each of the auto companies

to discuss issues of concern to the community and where the industry can be of

assistance.

Prior to being recruited by the Alliance, Rich was Executive Director of Legislative

Affairs at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) where he

helped promote Latino issues such as the DREAM Act and the Latino Museum to

Senators, Members of Congress and their staff.

He also worked with Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) to help them navigate

Congress and department reauthorization bills to expand research and development

grants to HSIs whose main focus was on specific sectors of the economy that lacked

Hispanic representation. Rich also spent many years on Capitol Hill as the Executive

Director of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’s political arm, BOLD PAC, and as

Senior Legislative Assistant / Deputy Floor Director for Congressman Joe Baca. He

also spent several years working for Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, both on his re-

election campaign in Nevada and in his Washington DC office as Director of Advance

and Legislative Correspondent.

Rich has remained active in Hispanic politics and continues to provide support to both

the community as well as to candidates seeking both federal and state office. He sees

the next generation of Latinos as the future of the country and has been a mentor to

Hispanic staff through the CHSA mentor/mentee program and through social activities

both on and off the Hill. As a HLA founding board member and recently re-elected

board member, Rich would like to continue his efforts to assist the community and those

that are looking to rise in the political realm as Congressional staff, corporate

professional and/or an elected official.


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Rich is a native Texan that has spent the last 12 years working in DC with a short stint

in Austin at the Texas Legislature, where he got his political start as a Senate

Messenger over 15 years ago. He has two older brothers and spends his time traveling

around the world learning about the vastly different communities and cultures each

country provides. He loves DC and often calls it his adopted home and has no plans of

leaving anytime soon.

39

Moses Mercado

Principal

Ogilvy Government Relations

Area of Expertise: Energy and Commerce, Environment

Phone: 202-729-4200


Moses C. Mercado has more than 16 years of experience at the highest levels of

Congress, national politics and corporate lobbying. He has established an expertise in

the development of public policy and managing effective public affairs campaigns.

Mercado is a premier political organizer who has designed and executed winning

strategic plans for leading public officials, including Senator John Kerry (D-MA), former

Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean

and House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt (D-MO). Mercado was named to the

Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Board in 2008.

At Ogilvy Government Relations, Mercado advises Fortune 100 companies, financial

institutions and national trade associations on successfully navigating legislative and

regulatory challenges. In particular, Mercado develops comprehensive strategic plans

to stabilize crises through the coordination of legislative advocacy, coalition building,

paid media, grass-roots organizing and media outreach. Mercado had previously

served as vice president of federal affairs to the American Insurance Association, where

he shaped the association’s public policy goals and advised the nation’s leading

insurance companies.

Mercado’s political and public policy experience includes high-ranking jobs in the US

House Democratic Leader’s office and on the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

As the DNC’s deputy executive director of intergovernmental affairs, Mercado was

responsible for outreach and communications to members of congress, governors,

mayors and local elected officials. Prior to that, as deputy chief of staff and senior

policy adviser to Democratic Leader Gephardt, Mercado managed day-to-day

operations of the leader’s office and served as liaison to members of the Democratic

Caucus with an emphasis on newly elected members. Additionally, Mercado served as

an adviser to Senator Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign, overseeing efforts in the

critical swing state of New Mexico.

A native of Texas, Mercado is a graduate of the University of Texas and received a law

degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston. He is a member of the Texas Bar

and the American Bar Association. As an at-large member of the Democratic National


40

Committee, Mercado served as a superdelegate to the 2008 Democratic National

Convention.

41


Vice President, Groundswell Communications

Area of Expertise: Design and implementation

of political and public affairs field plans, direct

voter contact, grassroots and grasstops

organizing, earned media, and communications

strategies for political and public affairs

projects.

Phone: 703-548-4721


For nearly a decade, Melissa has specialized in outreach and field organization on

national and state campaigns. With an eye towards voter and member experience,

effective organizing tactics, and strong management skills, Melissa has successfully

organized and implemented grassroots and grasstops efforts in healthcare, online travel

and energy industries as well as policy campaigns.

She has previously served as the Canvass Director for the Democratic National

Committee and Grassroots Campaign’s fundraising effort in Cleveland, OH. Melissa’s

political experiences include Kerry for President ’04, Kerry Edwards for President ’04,

Morrissey for Mayor ’05 and Abdul-Samad for State Representative ’06. For

Groundswell, she has developed and managed voter contact programs for the DCCC,

Mayor Bart Peterson and the American Federation of Teachers. While at Groundswell

Melissa has worked on public affairs issues with the Interactive Travel Services

Association, the National Education Association, the National Council of La Raza Action

Fund and AARP.


42

Juan F. Otero

Senior Director and Policy Counsel

Comcast NBC Universal

Area of Expertise: Telecommunications Law

and Policy

Phone: 202-379-7125


Juan Otero currently serves as Senior Director and Policy Counsel for Comcast

Corporation’s Federal Government Affairs in Washington D.C. In this role, Mr. Otero is

a legislative advocate before the United States Congress and the Administration. Prior

to assuming these responsibilities, Mr. Otero served on Comcast’s External Affairs and

Public Policy team, where he was a liaison to a myriad of national public policy

organizations including, but not limited to, national academic institutions,

intergovernmental associations, diversity organizations, and industry trade associations.

Mr. Otero currently sits on several boards of directors, including the Congressional

Hispanic Caucus Institute, the Hispanic Federation of New York, the Congressional

Hispanic Leadership Institute, and the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators.


43

Catherine Pino

Co-Founder & Principal


Area of Expertise: Philanthropy, Non-profit Development,

Capacity Building

Phone: 703-671-7365


Catherine M. Pino is Co-Founder & Principal of D&P Creative Strategies a company she

co-founded in 2004. Catherine's aim is to advance corporate, philanthropic and

legislative efforts that mirror her deep commitment to social justice and civil rights

issues.

Catherine has two decades of experience working in the philanthropic and nonprofit

sectors, where she has developed an expertise for designing and evaluating programs

that target underserved populations. She advises nonprofit leaders on capacity building

and effective program implementation, and has worked closely with Fortune 100

companies and private foundations to advance social service initiatives

She served as the Deputy Director of Urban School Reform for the Carnegie

Corporation of New York.

Her desire to help the disadvantaged took root at an early age, and was fostered

through numerous volunteer activities in her hometown of Albuquerque. After college,

she worked in the Capitol Hill office of New Mexico Senator Jeff Bingaman, where she

learned firsthand how public policy and legislation intersect with nonprofit efforts.

Her burgeoning interest in public policy led her to the National Council of La Raza,

where she worked as a liaison to the organization's board and corporate advisors,

cultivating valuable, long-lasting professional relationships.

At the Washington, DC-based Independent Sector, she represented nonprofit interests

on a broad range of issues on Capitol Hill and was the liaison to the Congressional

Hispanic Caucus. She co-created Independent Sector's Future Leadership Initiative,

which focused on efforts to attract, retain and develop young leaders in the non-profit

sector.


44

Chuck Rocha

President

Solidarity Strategies LLC

Area of Expertise: Political Campaigns, Labor, Immigration, Phone

and Mail services.

Phone: 202-962-7232


Born and raised in Tyler, Texas, Chuck Rocha followed in his father’s footsteps as a

union worker for the Kelley Springfield Tire Company and a member of United Rubber

Workers Local 746. His passion for organizing for Local 746 earned him the record of

youngest officer ever elected in their Local. Eight short years later, Chuck was

appointed to the post of national political director of the United Steel Workers of

America. At the time, Chuck was the only Latino serving as a political director in a

major national union.

In 2009, Chuck launched Solidarity Strategies. Chuck created a firm that reflects the

values he learned in Tyler, Texas and in Pittsburgh. Solidarity brings together his 20

years of political experience and draws on the talents of other pro-labor, progressive

partners. Solidarity Strategies is one of the only Latino owned political consulting firms.

We specialize in voter contact via phones, mail and telephone town hall meetings.

Chuck is a graduate of the Harvard University Trade Union program. He is a former

board member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and is currently a board

member of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement. Chuck is also a senior

fellow for the American Work Force at the Center for National Policy.


45

Susan Santana

Assistant Vice President, Federal Relations

AT&T

Area of Expertise: Telecommunications and

Technology, Internet, Mobile broadband issues

Phone: 202-463-4182


Ms. Santana represents AT&T’s legislative interests before the U.S. Congress. She is

responsible for educating and advocating for policies that advance the company’s

mission of connecting people, with an emphasis on technology and communications

issues, including but not limited to internet regulation, cybersecurity, spectrum policy,

tax, and broadband policy. Prior to this role, Susan served on the External Affairs team

of AT&T, developing and managing long-term strategic relationships with key

constituency groups. Prior to AT&T, Ms. Santana served as Government Affairs

Counsel for Dell Inc., focused on the areas of Trade, Energy & Environment, Telecom,

Diversity and Education. Previously, Ms. Santana practiced law for Holland & Knight in

DC and Baker & McKenzie in San Diego, focused on public policy, government

relations, corporate and employment law.

Prior to practicing law, Ms. Santana received a fellowship with the CHCI and clerked for

a federal judge on the U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia. She received her

bachelor’s degrees from the University of California at Berkeley, and earned her law

degree in from UCLA School of Law.

She has served as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the Congressional Hispanic

Caucus Institute, and is a long time member and past president of the Hispanic Bar

Association of D.C. She is currently a Board member and Secretary of the

Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute, the National Association of Latino Elected

Officials Education Fund and is the current Vice President of the Hispanic Lobbyists

Association. She is originally from San Diego, CA and lives with her husband, Bert

Gomez and son Eric Alejandro in Northern Virginia.


46

Max Sevillia

Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs

National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed

Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund

Area of Expertise: Civil Rights, Immigration, Municipal

Representation, Higher Education

Phone: 202-374-1272


Max Sevillia is the Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs at the National Association

of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund, where he serves

as the organization’s chief federal advocate and directs the Washington, D.C. office.

Mr. Sevillia has over a decade of Capitol Hill and advocacy experience. He previously

served as Judiciary Committee counsel to U.S. Representative Jerrold Nadler and as

counsel to U.S. Representative Alcee Hastings. As an immigration lobbyist for the

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), he led a national immigration reform campaign

focused on civil rights and civil liberties. He also worked as Senior Legislative

Consultant for M+R Strategic Services, a national advocacy firm recognized for its

services for public interest organizations. Most recently, he served as a Legislative

Director at Polsinelli Shughart PC, where he directed a government affairs effort

focused on underserved communities. Mr. Sevillia earned his B.A. from Florida

International University (FIU) and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.


47

Maximiliano (Max) Trujillo

President

Tonio Burgos & Associates – Washington, DC

Area of Expertise: Telecommunications, Healthcare

Phone: 202-467-4178


As President of Tonio Burgos & Associates of Washington, D.C., Max directs the firm's

operations in the Nation's Capital. He brings a broad background of experience that

includes the non-profit sector and government sector at the federal and state level.

Max is a former Senior Policy Advisor for Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez where he

gained expertise on issues relating to telecommunications, health care, and homeland

security as well as issues important to the Latino community and Puerto Rico.

Prior to his work in Congress, he was the Advocacy State Director for AARP in Puerto

Rico where he worked on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid issues and on

consumer issues that impacted the senior population.

He has also served in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico government, first, as a Deputy

Advisor to the Governor for Social Welfare and Civil Rights and later as Legislative

Counsel for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico House of Representatives' Committee

on Economic Development.

His experience in government work, advocacy and coalition building brings to the firm a

professional that knows how to manage political relationships, develop policy positions

and strengthen partnerships with national or local organizations.

Max holds B.A degree from Marquette University with Majors in Political Science and

History, a law degree from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico School of Law

and a Master of Laws from American University’s Washington College of Law in

International Legal Studies. He is a licensed attorney in the State of Maryland and

executive committee member of the American Bar Association - International Law

Section.


48


Principal

S Vaca & Associates, LLC

Area of Expertise: Defense, Homeland Security

Phone: 202-674-2425


Santiago “Rico” Vaca is the founder and senior principal at S Vaca & Associates, a firm

specializing in the Defense & Nationals Security sphere. A proven government relations

executive, national security expert, and retired military officer, Rico is uniquely equipped

to advise on federal challenges associated with national security programs, from both

operational and commercial perspectives. He retains a diverse skill set to include

detailed knowledge of Department of Defense programs and policies across the

Services, with emphasis on procurement, research and development, operations and

maintenance, and staff functions.

Rico also maintains a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the federal

budget and appropriations cycle gained through eight years of successful advocacy on

Capitol Hill. He sustains high level relationships with Senators, members of Congress,

key congressional defense committee staff, corporate executives, and General officers

within the Department of Defense.

Prior to the founding of S Vaca & Associates, Rico was a senior policy advisor in the

Public Policy and Regulation Practice Group of the global law firm of Holland & Knight.

There he focused his practice on appropriations, defense policy, acquisitions/regulatory

issues, DoD renewable energy initiatives and client concerns related to national

security.

Rico is a retired Air Force pilot with more than 3,200 hours in the F-15C, F-16 and T-38.

He maintains an active security clearance.


2013 membership directory -...

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