Congressman García Announces Staff Leadership Changes
CHICAGO — Today, Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) announced staff leadership changes in his 4th Congressional District Offices.
“As the new Congress begins, I am proud to announce new positions for four members of my team. These strong women each bring unique talents, skills, and experiences to the table, which will help better serve the needs of the people I represent in Chicago, suburban Cook County, and DuPage County,” said Congressman García.
Patty García will now serve as Chief of Staff and District Director
Dr. Patty García has served as District Director for Rep. García since he entered Congress in January of 2019. In that role, she develops and implements constituent services and stakeholder engagement and maintains federal, state, and local relationships on his behalf. Previously, she was the Vice President of Programs and Operations for the Latino Center for Leadership Development, where she oversaw the training of Latino and Black candidates seeking policy-making roles, maintained policy and philanthropic partnerships as well as U.S.- Mexico relationships. Patty has also served as Deputy Director of Constituency Services with NALEO Educational Fund, training Latino policymakers, as well as implementing data-driven civic engagement projects to increase voter education and participation. She earned a doctoral degree in Educational Policy Studies with a Concentration in Latina/o Studies from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in 2011.
Fabiola Rodriguez-Ciampoli will now serve as Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director
Fabiola Rodriguez-Ciampoli has served in different positions on Capitol Hill, political campaigns, and the private sector. She joined the office of Rep. García the day he was sworn as Congressman in January of 2019 as Senior Advisor and Communications Director. Before returning to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2019, she was a strategic partner at Deliver Strategies, a political consulting firm working for progressive causes and candidates. Among other positions in the House, she served as Executive Director of the Office of the House Democratic Caucus and as Communications Director for the office of the Vice Chair of the Democratic Caucus under then Representative Xavier Becerra. Born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico, Fabiola spent the first chapter of her career working in politics in Mexico. She holds a master's degree in Public Communication from American University.
María Velázquez will now serve as Outreach Director
María Velázquez is the daughter of Mexican immigrants and was born and raised in the northwest side of Chicago. Her personal mission to connect, serve, and elevate underserved communities is at the core of her work. She joined Congressman García’s team in January 2021 as Outreach Manager. María previously served as the program manager of immigrant justice partnerships at The Resurrection Project (TRP) working to mitigate the devastating consequences of incarceration and deportation. Prior to TRP, María led national youth initiatives for the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement (HACE) where she led the expansion of their high school program El Futuro. María was also an Organizing Fellow with the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Spanish from the University of Iowa.
Naomi Meria Lake will now serve as Senior Legislative Assistant
Naomi Meria Lake has worked for Congressman García since he was elected to Congress in 2019. She currently assists the Congressman’s legislative work on topics including foreign affairs, international monetary policy, civil rights, and criminal justice. Her work focuses on justice and equity at home and abroad. Born and raised in Chicago, she worked for various local political campaigns before joining the Congressman’s campaign in 2018. She also served as an assistant and translator for academic research projects. Naomi earned a bachelor’s degree in History with a Certificate in Translation and Intercultural Communication from Princeton University.
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