Advisory Board

Diego Zambrano currently serves as Manager of Federal Government Affairs to the United States at Philip Morris International. He previously served under House Republican leadership on the Committee on House Administration and as Deputy Director and Vice President of Programs at the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute. A Miami native, he began his career as the Director of Member Services for former Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the first Hispanic woman elected to Congress. He holds a bachelor’s in Political Science and International Relations from Florida International University and a master’s in Public Administration from the University of Miami.

Emily Benavides has spent 20 years strategically advising federal and presidential candidates, super PACs, former Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), and nonprofits on how to own their narrative. A seasoned spokesperson, she has hosted a podcast and appeared on both English and Spanish language media across the United States and internationally.

A passionate advocate for the Latino community, Benavides was named one of the 40 under 40: Latinos in American Politics in 2014 by The Huffington Post. They went on to call her “one of the Republican Party’s top Latina communications operatives.” In 2015, she was recognized by Cosmo for Latinas with a Fun, Fearless award for outstanding contributions in the political arena. In 2021, the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute honored Benavides with the Vermillion Congressional Staff Appreciation Award.

Keith Fernandez serves as a Labor Policy Advisor and Oversight Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Prior to that, he held corporate roles and served as General Counsel and Communications Director for retired Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL).

Fernandez is a member of the Presidential Leadership Scholars class of 2024 and is a 2024 recipient of the University of Florida Gators 40 under 40 award. In 2025, the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) honored Fernandez with the CHLI Ambassador Award and, separately, the CHLI Alumni Association honored him with the Wendy Martinez CHLI Alumni Community Engagement Award. He is a graduate of the University of Florida, Levin College of Law and Florida International University.

Mr. Rodriguez maintains an active and prestigious role in many social organizations and foundations. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Hispanic 100 Foundation, a nationally recognized organization comprised of successful Latino business and civic leaders focused on developing and promoting leadership from within the Hispanic community through advocacy and education.

In addition to the Hispanic 100 Foundation, Mr. Rodriguez serves on the advisory boards of Belmont University Law School and the University of California, Irvine OC Alliance. Further, Mr. Rodriguez serves as a board member for both the National Museum of the American Latino and O.C. Music & Dance. Mr. Rodriguez is also a member of the New Majority of Orange County.

Omar Franco serves as Chair of the Firm’s Government Law & Lobbying Practice. He currently represents a wide variety of clients including Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, higher education institutions, trade associations, non-profit organizations, and municipal governments. A recognized leader in the field, Franco was named the 2025 Top Lobbyist of the Year by the Hispanic Lobbyists Association. He has also been honored as a “Top Lobbyist” by the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics (NILE) in 2024 and 2020 and has been featured on The Hill’s annual “Hired Gun” list of Top Lobbyists every year since 2018.

Omar came to Washington in 2003 when he was named Chief of Staff for Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL). Omar held this position for over four years, managing 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.

Carlos is a strategist, storyteller, and seasoned leader across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. With executive roles at five global Fortune 500 companies (Anheuser-Busch, Carnival, Ford, Tyson’s & Waste Management) and a track record of championing Latino leadership, he currently serves as CEO of The Latino Coalition and formerly led the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR).

An award-winning content creator and published author (www.Havana to DC.com), Carlos’ expertise spans nonprofit management, external affairs, communications, philanthropy, and DEI, among others. Carlos is committed to building opportunity and equity through influence, action, and leadership. He holds executive education credentials from Harvard, Cornell, and UCLA.

He is a graduate of Barry University and is pursuing a master’s at Georgetown University.

Jeyben Castro is the Community Outreach and Engagement Director for the Chief Administrative Officer’s House Human Capital Office at the U.S. House of Representatives, where he leads outreach strategies supporting Members, Committees, and House offices. Since being here in the House, he’s helped interns through their careers who are now chiefs. His Capitol Hill experience includes roles with the Committee on House Administration, and the Senate Finance Committee under Senator Orrin Hatch. A Navy veteran and dedicated advocate for civic engagement, Jeyben was born in Nicaragua, raised in Miami, and now lives in Virginia. He serves on the board of the American Latino Veterans Association and is a graduate of George Mason University.

Eric Mendoza currently serves as Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (TX-15) and has experience in the Executive Branch and in the private sector. Most recently, Eric served as a political appointee at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, where he advised on budget and appropriations matters. Before working in Government, he started his career in the Washington, DC office of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Originally from Houston, Eric graduated from Texas A&M University with his B.S. in Economics and M.S. in Finance from Mays Business School. At Texas A&M, he served in multiple leadership roles representing the largest student body in the Nation, including serving as Student Body President, where he was also the first Hispanic Student Body President in the University’s history.