Washington, D.C., May 4, 2023 — The Aspen Institute Latinos and Society program extends their sincerest congratulations to Nathalie Rayes on her nomination as U.S. Ambassador to Croatia, announced Domenika Lynch, Executive Director.
“I am thrilled that Nathalie Rayes has been nominated by President Biden to be the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Croatia,” said Elliot Gerson, executive vice president at the Aspen Institute. “In 2015, Nathalie was a driving force to establish a program at the Aspen Institute to support and advance the Latino community. With Nathalie’s vision, support, and diligence, the Latinos and Society program was born. I am proud to have worked alongside Nathalie to launch this great program, and I know that Nathalie will bring the same passion, intelligence, and judgment to her new and important role. ”
“On behalf of the Aspen Latinos Advisory Board, I want to offer our sincerest congratulations to our colleague, Nathalie Rayes, on her nomination as U.S. ambassador to Croatia. Nathalie has spent over two decades building and strengthening relationships among vastly different organizations. Her experiences and successes make her eminently well-suited to represent the United States in Croatia. Our Advisory Board extends to Nathalie its heartfelt best wishes as Nathalie embarks on her latest venture in service of her country,” said Aspen Latino advisory board chair Gaddi Vasquez.
Ms. Rayes is currently the President and CEO of Latino Victory Project, a national organization dedicated to building Latino political power. Prior to that Ms. Rayes was Vice President of Public Affairs for over a decade at Grupo Salinas in the United States, and Executive Director of Fundación Azteca America. Earlier in her career, she served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn, where she created and directed the city’s first-ever Office of Immigrant Affairs and managed the Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Relations, International Trade, and Protocol.
Ms. Rayes has been an advocate of empowering the Latino community through education and advocacy. Ms. Rayes joined the Aspen Latinos Advisory Board in 2022 but has been instrumental in the program as she was one of the founding members of the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society program in 2015. Ms. Rayes has dedicated herself to public service as she was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as President Joe Biden’s appointee to the board of the United States Institute of Peace and served six years as President Barack Obama’s appointee to the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. In addition to her work on the Aspen Latinos Advisory Board, Ms. Rayes also serves on the board of the Hispanic Federation, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and chairs the Binational Advisory Group for the Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE).
The Aspen Institute founded the Latinos and Society Program in 2015 to identify and promote solutions that foster greater opportunity for American Latinos, and enable a more prosperous, inclusive America. Through proprietary research, partnerships with the private and public sector, high-level gatherings, and community-building initiatives, Aspen Latinos ignites Latino growth and resiliency for the benefit of all Americans.
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