Lucero Ortiz, Director of Legal Services; Central American Resource Center. Lucero is a seasoned attorney with extensive experience as a public policy leader and direct legal services provider. Prior to joining the CARECEN team, she managed her own legal practice focused on immigration and family law. She also served in various capacities at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA), and Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF).
During her career, she has focused her efforts on immigrants’ rights, family unification, workplace justice, empowerment strategies for underrepresented communities, and pro bono partnerships. She is well-versed in personnel management, strategic planning, coalition building, and delivery of culturally competent, community-based client representation. She has appeared on Spanish-language television and radio media to comment on the status of immigration reform.
For her important contributions, Lucero has received several awards and recognitions including DOL Secretary’s Exceptional Achievement Award, HBA-DC’s Rising Star Award, the Premio Inspiracion from American University Washington College of Law, among others. Lucero is a graduate of American University Washington College of Law (WCL) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She joined the CARECEN delegation to El Salvador in 2015. Selected to participate in 2019 Summer Socrates Seminar.