Congressional Hispanic Caucus Welcomes New Policy and Special Projects Coordinator, Stephanie Palencia

WASHINGTON — Today, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) welcomes Stephanie Palencia as Policy and Special Projects Coordinator. She is the first staff member to serve in this role at the CHC and will oversee the Caucus' policy work on diversity issues, healthcare, Census 2020, and other vital policy areas.

With the largest CHC in American history, the Caucus has launched an ambitious policy agenda to directly address some of the most pressing issues facing Latinos and Hispanic Americans. Stephanie will be instrumental in spearheading the Caucus's work to address inequities in health care and the insulin crisis' impact on Hispanic families. Following the Trump Administration's attempts to target and intimidate Hispanic and immigrant communities by trying to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census, Stephanie also will coordinate with CHC members and our Tri-Caucus partners to ensure that every congressional district is fully informed and prepared for an accurate 2020 Census count. Additionally, Stephanie will oversee the Caucus' work to address Latino depiction and representation across television and film. She will also work to launch a new initiative aimed to ensure experts of color are included in Congressional hearings and the policy making process.

Stephanie previously worked for Congressman Pete Aguilar's (CA-31) as a Legislative Correspondent, where she managed constituent correspondence across all policy areas, from immigration and border issues to defending the integrity of our democracy. She also oversaw the day-to-day operations of the office, the internship program, and constituent services in Washington, DC.

Stephanie moved to Washington, DC from Boston, MA in the Spring of 2017, driven to public service following the results of the 2016 election. She interned at the Strathdee Group before joining the office of Congressman Pete Aguilar in August 2017.

She is an active member of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association (CHSA), where she assisted in launching the Career Acceleration Program to help Hispanic junior staffers advance their careers in Congress.

Stephanie is originally from Los Angeles, CA. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA.

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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.