Brigida Benitez
Partner, Wilmer Hale, Washington, DC
 Brigida Benitez is a partner in WilmerHale's Litigation Department and International Arbitration Department. She has a complex litigation practice at the trial and appellate levels, including in the United States Supreme Court. Ms. Benitez also has substantial experience conducting internal corporate investigations and representing clients in international arbitrations. She has represented multinational corporations in investigations and arbitration matters involving Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Ms. Benitez has been featured in professional publications such as the Legal Times, as well as media channels such as CNN International, and was recently named as one of the "Top 40 Lawyers Under 40" in Washington, DC by Washingtonian magazine.
Ms. Benitez was recently appointed by the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit to the Court's Advisory Committee on Procedures. She also currently serves as Co-Chair of the Hispanic Bar Association of DC's Leadership Council and as a member of the Resource Board of the National Association of Women Judges. Ms. Benitez has previously served as President of the Hispanic Bar Association of DC, Vice-President for External Affairs of the Hispanic National Bar Association and Co-Chair of the Women's Bar Association Litigation Forum, and as a member of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Election Law Advisory Commission and the DC Bar's Pro Bono Committee.
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Beatriz Casals
Founder & President, Casals & Associates, Inc., Washington, DC |
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Carlos De La Guardia
President, The De La Guardia Group, Alexandria, VA
Carlos De La Guardia founded the De La Guardia Group (DLGG) in 2004 after more than 16 years of marketing and political experience in the United States and Panama, as well as throughout the Latin American region including the Caribbean.. The DLGG is a consulting firm that focuses on developing business opportunities and strategies for United States-based firms looking to enter Latin American markets.
Mr. De La Guardia's experience includes the following positions:
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An independent consultant to numerous U.S. and international clients
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Charge' d'Affaires and Minister Counselor/Deputy Chief of Mission for the Panamanian Embassy in Washington, D.C.
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Assistant to the Senior Political Advisor to the President of Panama (1999-2004 Administration)
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Marketing and Sales Director, Central America and Caribbean region, for pharmaceutical leader Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
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Commercial Marketing and Sales Director, Central American/ Caribbean region, for Swedish food processing and packaging giant Tetra-Pak Worldwide
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Marketing Manager, Central American region, for multinational consumer products leader Johnson & Johnson Company
Originally from Panama City, Panama, Mr. De La Guardia has consulted with numerous U.S. and Latin American companies, governments, and organizations to achieve goals ranging from sales and marketing objectives, political objectives, and legal and/or foreign affairs objectives. Mr. De La Guardia now brings this experience to clients in helping develop strategies to enter new markets and leverage business opportunities throughout the Latin American region. He also applies his diplomatic and foreign affairs experience by advising Latin American organizations in navigating the U.S. political system.
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Robert R. Fernandez
Founder, Chairman & President, The Hispanic Community for Policy, Alexandria, VA
Robert R. Fernandez is Chairman & President of The Hispanic Community for Policy (HCP), a new national grass roots non-profit non-partisan lobbying organization for US Hispanics to promote US foreign and related domestic policy. HCP's primary mission is to enhance education, participation and leadership of Hispanics in US public policy. HCP has pursued it's mission early through projects in development such as the 2008 US Presidential Candidate Survey on Latin America Foreign Policy, forging the creation of the Latin America Caucus in the US House of Representatives, the development of The National Hispanic Debate, scheduled for April, 2008, and completing a 20-city National Membership Drive, among other efforts.
Prior to creating HCP, Mr. Fernandez was co-creator and co-manager of The Hispanic Alliance for Free Trade (HAFT). HAFT has been credited with helping secure the passage of DR-CAFTA free trade agreement, accomplished by developing a 133 Members coalition of Hispanic organizations throughout the US in two months, and organizing successful lobbying events such as a White House fly-in and lobby day attended by 190 HAFT members. President Bush spoke to HAFT before the final vote, less than five months after HAFT was created. Mr. Fernandez has also organized trade policy forums and fundraising events for the California Council for International Trade, National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC), Hispanic Council on International Relations, and Inter-American Economic Council; created a strategic new membership marketing plan for NFTC; and served as emergency logistics coordinator for a Virginia Department of Transportation project in crisis under intense public and media scrutiny.
Mr. Fernandez holds a Master of Pacific International Affairs from the Graduate School of International Relations & Pacific Studies (IR/PS) at the University of California, San Diego. He received the Joseph Grunwald Memorial Award, one of two scholarships awarded by faculty, given “in recognition of significant contributions to the promotion of inter-American understanding” by a graduating student. Mr. Fernandez received his B.A. in Business Administration Marketing from California State University, Fullerton .
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Michael R. Hayes
Senior Financial Analyst, Robbins-Gioia, LLC, Alexandria, VA |
Ambassador Peter F. Romero
Former Assistant Secretary of State, Western Hemisphere Affairs, 1999-2001
President & CEO, Experior Advisory
 Peter F. Romero is the CEO of Experior Advisory, a Washington DC-based consulting firm that specializes in international business and political advising. Mr. Romero has over twenty-six years of experience negotiating in international markets and politics. He has advised major U.S. corporations on national and local strategies regarding environmental, indigenous, labor, and political issues. In addition, he advises U.S. and foreign companies on capital raising, selecting local partners, acquisitions, and mergers in association with several investment banks.
From July 2001 to April 2003 Mr. Romero served as Managing Director of Violy, Byorum & Partners (VB&P). During this time, he led the advisory and consultancy practice at VB&P, which included foreign–venue dispute resolution and bidding (both public and private).
Formerly, Mr. Romero was the Assistant Secretary of State of the new Western Hemisphere Affairs Bureau, where he was the highest-ranking Hispanic in the career U.S. Foreign Service. A twenty-four-year career diplomat, he previously served inter alia as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador and Chief of Mission of our Embassy in San Salvador.
The bureau Ambassador Romero led is responsible for promoting U.S. interests in the Western Hemisphere in support of strengthening democratic institutions, expanding U.S. trade opportunities and attaining sustainable economic development, including the start of free trade negotiations with Chile. Ambassador Romero continues to be sought after for his expertise in investment strategies, national reconciliation, and conflict resolution. He advises Presidents and cabinet members of governments throughout the hemisphere.
Ambassador Romero is on the board of Special Olympics International, the Stanford Financial Group, the Americas Foundation, the Inter-American Economic Council and was a founding member of the Hispanic Council on International Relations. He is the 2001 recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award from Boricua College for his distinguished public service.
Born in New York, Peter Romero received a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from Florida State University. He speaks fluent English, Spanish and Italian.
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Ambassador Roger F. Noriega
Former Assistant Secretary of State, Western Hemisphere Affairs, 2003-2005
Research Fellow, American Enterprise Institute, Washington, DC
 Roger F. Noriega is a visiting fellow coordinating the American Enterprise Institute's program on Western Hemisphere issues. Twice appointed by President George W. Bush (and confirmed by the U.S. Senate) and with 10-year career on Capitol Hill, Ambassador Noriega's breadth of experience and contacts offers strategic vision and practical insight on the Americas.
As Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs (July 2003 to October 2005), Ambassador Noriega managed a 3,000-person team of professionals in Washington and 50 diplomatic posts to design and implement political and economic strategies in Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean. He was a leader in an inter-agency team that actively expanded trade and investment opportunities to spur economic growth and to create opportunities for U.S. companies and consumers. He also helped design and execute an annual plan for the effective use of $1.7 billion in U.S. economic assistance in two dozen countries.
On Capitol Hill, Noriega counseled powerful Congressional leaders on all aspects of U.S. interests in the Americas, drafted historic legislation, and oversaw U.S. aid programs, the Peace Corps, and international narcotics affairs. From July 1997 to August 2001, he was a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff of Chairman Jesse A. Helms (R-NC) and from July 1994 to July 1997, he served on the House International Relations Committee staff of Chairman Benjamin A. Gilman (R-NY).
Other experiences include: senior advisor, OAS (July 1993 to July 1994); senior policy advisor, U.S. Mission to the OAS (August 1990 to January 1993); various program management and public affairs positions, U.S. Agency for International Development and U.S. Department of State (November 1986 to July 1990); press secretary and foreign policy advisor, U.S. Representative Robert Whittaker (R-KS) (May 1983 to October 1986); and research assistant, Kansas Secretary of State (December 1981 to April 1983).
He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washburn University of Topeka, Kansas. Ambassador Noriega has been decorated by Governments of Nicaragua and of Peru and has received numerous awards for public service from organizations committed to the promotion of democracy in the Americas.
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Richard B. Williams
Senior Policy Analyst/Linguist, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), Alexandria, VA |
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