Cecilia Muñoz (born July 27, 1962) is an American political advisor who served as Director of the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
Domestic Policy Council
The Domestic Policy Council (DPC) is the principal forum used by the president of the United States for the consideration of domestic policy matters and senior policymaking, Cabinet of the United States, Cabinet, and White House officials. The Co ...
under
President Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
, a position she held for five years. Prior to that, she served as the White House
Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for three years.
Before working for the White House, she was Senior Vice President for the Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation at the
National Council of La Raza
UnidosUS, formerly National Council of La Raza (NCLR) (La Raza), is the United States's largest Latino nonprofit advocacy organization. It advocates in favor of progressive public policy changes including immigration reform, a path to citizens ...
(NCLR), the largest Latino advocacy organization in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
.
At NCLR, she supervised all legislative and advocacy activities conducted by NCLR policy staff. She was also the Chair of the Board of the
Center for Community Change
Community Change, formerly the Center for Community Change (CCC), is a progressive community organizing group active in the United States. It was founded in 1968 in response to civil rights concerns of the 1960s and to honor Robert F. Kennedy. Th ...
and served on the U.S. Programs Board of the
Open Society Institute
Open Society Foundations (OSF), formerly the Open Society Institute, is a grantmaking network founded and chaired by business magnate George Soros. Open Society Foundations financially supports civil society groups around the world, with a sta ...
and on the boards of directors of the
Atlantic Philanthropies
The Atlantic Philanthropies (AP) was a private foundation created in 1982 by Irish-American businessman Chuck Feeney. The Atlantic Philanthropies focused its giving on health, social, and politically left-leaning public policy causes in Australia ...
and the
National Immigration Forum
The National Immigration Forum is an immigrant advocacy non-profit group, based in Washington, DC. It was founded by Phyllis Eisen and Rick Swartz . The Forum uses its communications, advocacy and policy expertise to advocate for immigration, refu ...
. In 2000, she was named a
MacArthur Fellow
The MacArthur Fellows Program, also known as the MacArthur Fellowship and commonly but unofficially known as the "Genius Grant", is a prize awarded annually by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation typically to between 20 and 30 ind ...
for her work on civil rights and immigration.
She was featured in several episodes of the documentary series ''
How Democracy Works Now: Twelve Stories,'' and she contributed a chapter to ''West Wingers: Stories from the Dream Chasers, Change Makers, and Hope Creators Inside the Obama White House'' discussing her experiences in the Obama White House.
Early life and education
Muñoz was born in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
,
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
the youngest of four children. Her parents had moved to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
from
La Paz, Bolivia
La Paz (), officially known as Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Spanish pronunciation: ), is the seat of government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia. With an estimated 816,044 residents as of 2020, La Paz is the third-most populous city in Bol ...
, so that her father, an automotive engineer, could attend the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
. When she was three, the family moved to
Livonia, Michigan
Livonia is a city in Wayne County, Michigan, Wayne County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 95,535 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, which ranked it as Michigan's ninth most-populated municipality.
Livonia is a part ...
, a Detroit suburb. Muñoz attended the University of Michigan in
Ann Arbor
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), ...
. As a volunteer, she tutored Hispanic American inmates at the
state prison
This is a list of U.S. state prisons (2010) (not including federal prisons or county jails in the United States or prisons in U.S. territories):
* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* Flori ...
in nearby
Jackson, Michigan
Jackson is the only city and county seat of Jackson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534, down from 36,316 at the 2000 census. Located along Interstate 94 and U.S. Route 127, it is approxi ...
. She earned undergraduate degrees in English and Latin American studies in 1984. Following graduation, Muñoz continued her education at the
University of California at Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant univ ...
, where she earned a master's degree, also in Latin American studies.
Career
As Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Muñoz was the Obama Administration's main liaison with state, local and tribal governments, including the
Big Seven organizations that represent most state and local officials, including the
Council of State Governments
The Council of State Governments (CSG) is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization in the United States that serves all three branches of state government.
Founded in 1933 by Colorado state Sen. Henry W. Toll, CSG is a region-based forum that ...
, the
National Governors Association
The National Governors Association (NGA) is an American political organization founded in 1908. The association's members are the governors of the 55 states, territories and commonwealths. Members come to the association from across the politica ...
and the
National Conference of State Legislatures
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), established in 1975, is a "nonpartisan public officials’ association composed of sitting state legislators" from the states, territories and commonwealths of the United States.
Background ...
. She co-chaired the White House Task Force on Puerto Rico's Political Status, where her work prompted several politicians
from both sides to celebrate her designation as head of the Domestic Policy Council.
She was featured in the documentary film ''Last Best Chance'', story twelve of the series ''
How Democracy Works Now
''How Democracy Works Now: Twelve Stories'' is a 12-part documentary film series that examines the American political system through the lens of immigration reform during 2001–2007. The films were directed and produced by award-winning filmmakin ...
'', from filmmakers
Shari Robertson
Shari Robertson is an American film director and Film producer, producer. Her filmmaking credits include ''How Democracy Works Now, Twelve Stories: How Democracy Works Now'', ''Well-Founded Fear'', ''These Girls Are Missing'', ''Inside the Khmer ...
and
Michael Camerini
Michael Camerini is a British-born American film director, producer and cinematographer. His filmmaking credits include ''FRONTLINE: Immigration BattleNiger:Tales of Resilience'' '' Twelve Stories: How Democracy Works Now'', ''Well-Founded Fear' ...
. A cut of the film premiered on
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
in March 2010, under the title ''The Senator's Bargain.''
Muñoz appeared in ''Mountains and Clouds,'' story two in the series ''
How Democracy Works Now
''How Democracy Works Now: Twelve Stories'' is a 12-part documentary film series that examines the American political system through the lens of immigration reform during 2001–2007. The films were directed and produced by award-winning filmmakin ...
'', where she and
Frank Sharry
Frank Sharry is the founder and executive director of America's Voice, a liberal immigration reform group.
Early life
He was raised in West Hartford, Connecticut, by an Italian-American mother and an Irish-American father. He graduated from P ...
discuss being at a potential "watershed moment" for comprehensive immigration reform, in 2001. Additionally, she was featured in ''Ain't the AFL for Nothin','' story seven in the series where she is shown working on a proposal for immigration, in 2003.
In 2020, Muñoz authored ''More than Ready,'' an autobiography about her life and tenure in the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
.
Muñoz works at
New America, a think tank based in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
In November 2020, Muñoz was announced as a member of
Joe Biden's
transition staff.
Personal life
Muñoz is married to Amit Pandya, a human rights lawyer. They have two daughters.
See also
*
How Democracy Works Now: Twelve Stories
*
Immigration
Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle as permanent residents or naturalized citizens. Commuters, tourists, and ...
References
Further reading
*"Congress Weakens Immigration Policies." ''Associated Press''. December 1, 1997.
*Eversley, Melanie. "A Leading Authority: Detroit Native Speaks Out Proudly for Latino Issues." ''Detroit Free Press''. November 3, 1997.
*Hayward, Brad. "Welfare Reform Has Legal Immigrants Wary." ''Sacramento Bee''. September 4, 1996.
*"Immigrants Add $10 Billion to Economy Annually, Study Says." ''Washington Times''. May 19, 1997.
*McDonnell, Patrick J. "Proposed Cutbacks in Aid Alarm Legal Immigrants." Los Angeles Times. July 30, 1996, p. A1.
*Navarrette, Ruben, Jr. "Groups Ask for Cuts in Immigrants." ''Arizona Republic''. November 11, 1997.
*Sample, Herbert A. "Activists Want Food Stamps Restored to Immigrants." ''Orange County Register''. August 22, 1997, p. A15.
*Sun, Lena H. "White House Queries Activist on Citizenship." ''Washington Post''. March 21, 1997, p. A28.
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Munoz, Cecilia
1962 births
American people of Bolivian descent
Living people
MacArthur Fellows
Michigan Democrats
Obama administration personnel
Politicians from Detroit
University of California, Berkeley alumni
University of Michigan alumni