Washington, D.C. — The Center for American Progress this week welcomed Laura I. Rodriguez as the new vice president for Government Affairs. Rodriguez, a seasoned Capitol Hill and U.S. State Department veteran who also served with the city of Miami and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, will oversee CAP’s federal and state and local government affairs teams. Rodriguez joins CAP from the office of Rep. Debbie Murcasel-Powell (D-FL), where she was chief of staff.
“From foreign policy to immigration, Laura Rodriguez is well-grounded in some of the most important issues confronting the progressive movement today,” said Neera Tanden, president and CEO of CAP. “The coming months and years will be critical ones for CAP and our ideas, and we are thrilled to welcome Laura as our new vice president for Government Affairs.”
“A dynamic leader with broad experience in the House, Senate, the executive branch, and at the city level, Laura has the knowledge and experience to promote progressive ideas across government,” said Winnie Stachelberg, executive vice president for External Affairs at CAP. “CAP is excited to have Laura on our team to oversee our government affairs work at the federal, state, and local levels.”
A graduate of Florida International University and American University, Rodriguez began her career working for the city of Miami. She served as a regional director for then-Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), and then in progressively senior roles in the Legislative Affairs Bureau at the U.S. Department of State, ending her tenure as deputy assistant secretary for House Affairs. She was chief of staff at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, then returned to Sen. Nelson’s office to serve as his senior adviser for Hispanic policy and outreach. She joined Rep. Murcasel-Powell’s office in January 2019 as chief of staff.
For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Allison Preiss at [email protected].