Estuardo Rodriguez

Mr. Rodriguez works with a number of non-profit organizations, including the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) as well as private sector companies that include V-me Media, Inc. (V-me) and The Home Depot. His work involves development of messaging campaigns, grassroots outreach, legislative monitoring, federal lobbying and coalition building. Mr. Rodriguez currently leads an initiative supporting Congressman Xavier Becerra’s National Museum of the American Latino Community Commission Act, which calls for the creation of a national museum in Washington, D.C. to house the cultural contributions and experience of Hispanic Americans. Mr. Rodriguez works closely with both parties in the House and Senate to garner support for the bill. He and the firm have worked to create the infrastructure for a non-profit organization that will unify the resources, supporters and partners that will ultimately make this museum a reality. Prior to joining The Raben Group, Mr. Rodriguez was an independent consultant and attorney providing political marketing and media relation services in New York and Washington, D.C. In addition, he worked closely with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus during the 2004 presidential race to manage and direct their media relations effort on a three-state bus tour through Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada. He worked closely with House members Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA), Xavier Becerra (CA), Grace Napolitano (CA), civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, former Secretary Federico Peña and others during that campaign. Mr. Rodriguez began his professional law career at the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, where he worked as an attorney under Secretary Henry Cisneros and later Secretary Andrew Cuomo. His focus was federal program enforcement, which entailed filing complaints against and debarring individuals and companies who misappropriated or mismanaged funds secured through HUD programs. Raised in Washington, D.C., Mr. Rodriguez received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy from Barry International Catholic University in Miami, Fl., and his Juris Doctor from St. John's University School of Law in New York City. Mr. Rodriguez is a co-founder and President of the Hispanic Lobbyists Association, a member of the Hispanic Bar Association of D.C. and a Board Member of the Fairfax County Medical Care for Children Partnership.