Congressional Hispanic Caucus Names Ivelisse Porroa as Policy Director and Clarissa Robles as Press Secretary/Digital Director

WASHINGTON — Today, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) unveiled an all-Latina CHC team and made two key staff announcements for the roles of Policy Director and Press Secretary/Digital Director. Ivelisse Porroa joins the CHC as Policy Director and Clarissa Robles as Press Secretary/Digital Director. Alma Acosta will continue her role as Executive Director, a position she has held since 2016. Under the leadership of Chairman Ruiz, the CHC will use its leverage and strength to advance public policy that creates lasting change for Hispanic families and work to ensure the promise of America is accessible to the 60 million Hispanics living across the country.

"Ensuring the halls of Congress reflect the very people we represent and fight for is key to implementing equitable legislation and uplifting the voices of Hispanic families, especially during a time of unprecedented political, economic, and public health crises," said Chairman Ruiz. "I am proud to appoint Ivelisse Porroa and Clarissa Robles to lead policy and communications for the Caucus, which will only add to Alma Acosta's proven leadership and persistent dedication. Their collective efforts and commitment to solving issues impacting the Hispanic community will help the CHC achieve necessary changes. For far too long, Hispanic families have experienced systemic inequalities and disparities in health, health care access, education, economic opportunity, housing, environmental justice, and more. I am positive that the CHC team will work tirelessly to rectify these inequalities and help deliver progress for Hispanic communities."

Porroa most recently served as Legislative Assistant to Congressman Ruiz. There, she managed his bipartisan Congressional Burn Pits Caucus as well as his work as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee. She is an active member of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association, where she serves as Vice President. Prior to joining Team Ruiz, she worked for Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA). Porroa was born and raised in Lima, Peru and is a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles.

Robles joins the CHC after having served as Member Services Coordinator for Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján, where she assisted District Directors and Freshman Offices in their outreach efforts. Previously, she served in the Office of Congressman Filemon Vela (TX-34), first as an intern, and later in his communications shop. There, she helped lead his communications campaign when the family separation crisis occurred in his district in 2018. Robles, a South Texas native, is a graduate of Texas Christian University.

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The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), founded in December 1976, is organized as a Congressional Member organization, governed under the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. The CHC is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories.