THE 17 TH CABINET OF PUERTO RICO POSITION DOSSIER

THE 17 TH CABINET OF PUERTO RICO POSITION DOSSIER

William Villafañe, Chief of Staff Villafañe is the current Chief of Staff for Governor Rossello, having the job of coordinating the work of the various Cabinet departments as well as facilitating communication between the departments and the governor. Prior to his appointment as Chief of Staff, Villafañe acquired experience in several levels of government. He was an advisor for the Commission on Public Service, an organization tasked with furthering economic and social development of Puerto Rico, and served as Secretary-General of the New Progressive Party (PNP). Villafañe comes from a legal background, having been an attorney, and has a close relationship with the PNP establishment. Luis Rivera Marin, Secretary of State As the Secretary of State, Luis Rivera Marin is responsible for Puerto Rico s relations with foreign countries. He also acts as the chief clerk of the Commonwealth, with his office keeping track of laws signed by the governor as well as records such as business licenses. Rivera Marin graduated from the University of Massachusetts - Amherst with a degree of Economics and obtained graduate degrees from New York University and the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico in business and law, respectively. He has substantial experience in government as he previously served as both the Secretary of Consumer Affairs and the Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company under the last PNP administration of Luis Fortuño. Manuel Laboy Rivera, Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce Manuel Laboy serves as the Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce, a role that entails devising and implementing plans for economic development of Puerto Rico and overseeing all of its commerce. He studied at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, earning a degree in Chemical Engineering and later obtained two graduate degrees in business. Before joining Rossello s government, Laboy Rivera worked extensively in the private sector as a project manager for businesses. As the Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce, he will be responsible for furthering economic growth of Puerto Rico s businesses and the Puerto Rican economy as a whole through instituting economic policies and investment. Furthermore, his office is in charge of companies that encourage the development and regulation of different important economic sectors, including the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. Julia Keleher, Secretary of Education A native of New York, Secretary of Education Julia Keleher has been involved in Puerto Rico s education field for the past ten years. Her current responsibilities entail overseeing the island s public school system, which includes over a thousand schools, 345 thousand students, and 31 thousand teachers. Previously, she worked as a private consultant for schools and with the US Department of Education as a Program Specialist. Keleher graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with bachelor s and master s degrees, and later on graduated from the University of Delaware from a doctorate in education. Carlos Flores Ortega, Secretary of Agriculture Carlos Flores Ortega is Puerto Rico s Secretary of Agriculture, responsible for overseeing agricultural policy throughout the island. Flores Ortega s Department sponsors several programs relating to the development of agriculture on the island, ensuring food security and making Puerto Rican agricultural 2

products more competitive on the global market. It works to promote technological development and sustainability in agriculture, while also collaborating with the federal Department of Agriculture to provide subsidies and assistance to farmers on the island. Agriculture plays a major role in Puerto Rico s economy, however, Hurricane Maria devastated much of Puerto Rico s farms and arable lands. The Department will have to consider how they will revitalize Puerto Rico s agriculture industry in the face of these issues. Fernando Gil, Secretary of Housing Fernando Gil serves as the Secretary of Housing in Ricardo Rossello s cabinet. His department is acts as the housing authority of Puerto Rico, supporting initiatives to increase homeownership, creating and implementing community programs, and providing low-cost housing to needy families. Hurricane Maria destroyed much of the housing in Puerto Rico. The Department of Housing will be charged with helping rebuild the destroyed residences, while at the same time working with emergency management agencies to provide temporary shelter for those affected. Prior to his current role, Gil worked as an administrator within the Public Housing Administration of Puerto Rico. He has a bachelor s degree in political science from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, a juris doctor from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico, and a master s degree in private international law from American University. Rafael Rodriguez Mercado, Secretary of Health As Secretary of Health, Rafael Rodriguez Mercado heads the department in charge of overseeing health services for the people of Puerto Rico. The Department of Health encompasses a wide range of services, from Puerto Rico s public hospitals to the licensing and distribution of medical marijuana. In addition to his role in government, Rodriguez Mercado is a neurosurgeon and professor at the University of Puerto Rico. He is also part of the United States Army Reserve, serving in various military hospitals before his most recent role as Command Surgeon. With the hurricane, new health problems have surfaced on the island, such as an increased incidence of respiratory problems. Many hospitals are lacking resources needed to deal with influxes of patients, and Puerto Ricans themselves are lacking access to medications and services to meet critical healthcare needs. Rodriguez Mercado will need to work to address these problems as Secretary. Carlos Contreras, Secretary of Transportation and Public Works Carlos Contreras is Puerto Rico s Secretary of Transportation and Public Works, the department that supervises all of Puerto Rico s transportation and public infrastructure. The department includes several agencies; namely, the Commission on Traffic Safety, Highways and Transportation Authority, Maritime Transport Authority, Metropolitan Bus Authority, and Ports Authority. Before becoming Secretary, Contreras was an engineer within the Transportation & Public Works Department. He has said that he plans to create a new perception of the department and further the development of different aspects of Puerto Rico s infrastructure, such as the public transportation system. Wanda Vazquez Garced, Secretary of Justice Wanda Vazquez Garced is Puerto Rico s Secretary of Justice, a position similar to that of the attorney general. She is in charge of Puerto Rico s judicial system. Vazquez Garced has years of experience working as a lawyer, and has received numerous accolades including Most Outstanding Attorney from the Puerto Rico Department of Justice. Vazquez Garced has stated that her goal is to modernize and reorganize the 3

department as well as provide support to crime victims. Currently, Puerto Rico s Office of Compensation and Services for Victims for Victims and Witnesses of Crimes coordinates financial assistance and services such as psychological help for victims. As the Secretary of Justice, Vazquez Garced also leads Puerto Rico s prosecutors as they work to address issues of crime on the island, and acts as a chief enforcer of Puerto Rico s laws and regulations. She is a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico and the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico School of Law. Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon, Resident Commissioner As Resident Commissioner, Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon is Puerto Rico s sole representative in the United States Congress. She is unable to cast votes on legislation, however, she can introduce laws, vote in committees, speak on the House floor, and be a part of caucuses. Gonzalez-Colon has been involved in Puerto Rican politics for a long time, having been in the House of Representatives as the Speaker of the House and the Minority Leader. She is a strong activist for statehood, and is the Chair of the Puerto Rican Republican Party. Gonzalez-Colon earned her bachelor s degree at the University of Puerto Rico and obtained a law degree at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. Carlos Johnny Mendez, Speaker of the House Carlos Johnny Mendez is the current Speaker of the House in Puerto Rico s House of Representatives. He is the leader of the 51-member legislative body which, along with the Puerto Rican Senate, has the ability to introduce and pass bills to be signed by the governor to become law. Mendez leads the members of his party in getting them to write and vote for bills, and he also decides which bills go onto the House floor for a vote by the body. A longtime PNP Representative, he has previously served as the Majority Leader and the Minority Whip in the House. Mendez has been an ardent supporter for Puerto Rican statehood. Originally from Fajardo, Puerto Rico, Mendez graduated from the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras with a bachelor s in Labor Relations, then went on to obtain a law degree at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. Jose Vargas Vidot, Senator At-Large (Independent) Jose Vargas Vidot is a freshman Senator At-Large in the Puerto Rican Senate. He is the first and only independent senator in the island s history. Before becoming involved in politics, Vargas Vidot was a doctor in the public health field, working with patients with HIV/AIDS as well as addressing issues of addiction. He ran his campaign on the platform of being a political outsider and a community leader that would address the island s growing drug problem. Vargas Vidot studied at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, and earned his medical degree from University Eugenio María de Hostos in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Hector Ferrer, President of the Popular Democratic Party (PDP) Hector Ferrer is the leader of Puerto Rico s Popular Democratic Party (PDP), the PNP s main electoral rival and the party that advocates for a continued commonwealth status. Most recently, Ferrer ran against Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon in the 2016 election for Resident Commissioner, and lost. He has served in numerous government posts, including Representative, Majority Whip, and Minority Leader in Puerto Rico s House of Representatives, and is well-respected within the party establishment. However, Ferrer s reputation has been marred by accusations of domestic violence, which nearly destroyed his political 4

career. He graduated from the University of North Carolina and the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico School of Law. As the President of the PDP, he leads the party in developing its platform and coordinates the positions of all of its members. After the party s loss in the 2016 elections, Ferrer will also have to work to strategize on how to increase his own party s popularity while working in the best interests of the island. Ruben Berrios, President of the Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) Ruben Berrios is the leader of Puerto Rico s independentista party, the Puerto Rico Independence Party (PIP.) Berrios has had an expansive career in politics. He has been the president of the PIP since 1970, was a senator for three terms, and has run for governor of the island five times. Berrios identifies as a socialist and has been involved in several acts of civil disobedience in order to attempt to bring change to the island. Famously, he led protests against the United States Navy base in Vieques. Berrios is a graduate of Georgetown University, Yale Law School, and Oxford University. In addition to his political work, he is currently a law professor at the University of Puerto Rico. As the President of the PIP, Berrios leads a small but significant group of politicians, including one member of Puerto Rico s House of Representatives and another in the Senate, that advocate for independence and, increasingly, more social programs. At a time where Puerto Ricans are not looking at independence as a viable option, Berrios will have to use his position as the main advocate for independence to try to bring about change. Nydia Velazquez, U.S. Representative (D-NY) Nydia Velazquez is the congresswoman representing New York s 7th Congressional District, which includes Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan s Lower East Side, home to a large Puerto Rican community. Velazquez is Puerto Rican herself, having been born and raised in the town of Yabucoa. She attended the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras and New York University. As a congresswoman, Velazquez is the top Democrat on the House Small Business Committee, and has been very active in advocating for Puerto Rican issues. Marco Rubio, U.S. Senator (R-FL) Marco Rubio is currently serving as a United States Senator representing the state of Florida. Being Hispanic-American himself and representing a state with a substantial Hispanic population, Rubio has been involved in addressing Puerto Rican issues on the national level. He was part of a bipartisan task force to work on alleviating Puerto Rico s debt crisis. He has also been staunchly pro-statehood for Puerto Rico. A native of Miami, Rubio obtained a bachelor s degree from the University of Florida and a law degree from the University of Miami. Maria Luisa Ferre, Chief Editor of El Nuevo Dia El Nuevo Dia is one of the leading newspapers in Puerto Rico, and Maria Luisa Ferre serves as its leading editor and the president of its Board of Directors. The newspaper is right-leaning and strongly pro-pnp and pro-statehood. The Ferre family has owned the newspaper for decades, with Maria Luisa being the latest family member in charge. Under her tenure, the paper has undergone a modernizing shift, becoming the first Puerto Rican newspaper with an online version. Ferre is a graduate of Amherst College, and she earned a master s degree in communications from Boston University. 5

Walter Higgins III, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) Walter Higgins III leads the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA), the governmentally-owned, sole electricity provider on the island. PREPA has been struggling over the years, with the existing electricity infrastructure being outdated and poorly maintained due to a lack of funds. Hurricane Maria only worsened this. In addition, there have been frequent calls for the privatization of PREPA. Higgins is highly experienced in leading electricity companies and was appointed in an attempt to reform the Puerto Rico s utility before it s too late. Jeffrey Buchanan, Lieutenant General & Commander of Military Hurricane Relief Efforts Lieutenant General Jeffrey Buchanan has been assigned by the United States military to oversee its hurricane relief operations in Puerto Rico. His job is to work alongside the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to oversee the logistical aspects of all aid the mainland government and the military are providing to Puerto Rico. In addition to this, Buchanan is the commander for the United States Army North. He has previously served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and he is a graduate of both the University of Arizona and the United States Military Academy. Michelle Fraley, Superintendent of the Puerto Rico Police Michelle Fraley is the leader of Puerto Rico s police department. She served in the Army for over 30 years, being the first Puerto Rican woman to graduate from the United States Military Academy. Fraley worked with helping wounded veterans transition into civilian life. Following her retirement from the military, she moved back to Puerto Rico and became part of the Puerto Rico Police in the Strategic Initiative Group. Subsequently, she was nominated by Governor Rossello to be the first female Superintendent of police in Puerto Rico. The police force faces the challenge of having to provide a sense of control and security to Puerto Rico s population after the devastation of the hurricane. They will also have to address crime, including drug crime, both spurred on and despite of the hurricane. As the leader of the police department, Superintendent Fraley will have to organize and oversee the police force and all of its resources to ensure a safer Puerto Rico. Fraley holds graduate degrees from Nova Southeastern University, Troy University, and the University of Phoenix. Joe Ramos, President of WAPA-TV Joe Ramos is the President of WAPA-TV, a leading television station in Puerto Rico. Many Puerto Ricans get their news from WAPA s Noticentro, which broadcasts all over the island. WAPA-TV is also famous for its evening television program, Lo Sé Todo, one of the most watched programs on the island and one that tends to be highly critical of the government. Ramos has been president of the television station for nearly 20 years and has been working in some capacity with WAPA for over 30, having extensive experience in the television sector. As President of WAPA-TV, Ramos is in charge of all of the station s programming and its relations with advertisers and other segments of Puerto Rican society. 6