Maria Cardona is a principal within Dewey Square's state and local practice, leading to form strategic partnerships for the firm's clients, especially within the Latino community. Cardona has more than 15 years of experience in the political, governmental, public relations, campaign, community and coalition building arenas. Cardona designs strategic communications for DSG clients and provides those clients with a trusted connection to the national and state Hispanic media. Cardona was formerly Senior Vice President for the New Democrat Network (NDN) and Director of NDN's Hispanic Project. Prior to NDN, Cardona served as Communications Director for the Democratic National Committee. From 1998 to 2001, Cardona was the Director of Communications for the Department of Justice's Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), acting as the Clinton Administration's top spokesperson on immigration. Cardona also spent five years at the Department of Commerce, first as Deputy Press Secretary to Secretary Ronald H. Brown and later as Press Secretary to Secretaries William Daley and Mickey Kantor.