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Dan Restrepo
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- Dan Restrepo is a lawyer, Democratic strategist, and CNN political contributor. Previously, he was Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs of the National Security Council of the United States of America. He is considered one of the most influential latin leaders of the White House.
Biography
Dan Restrepo’s background
Dan Restrepo is a global policy expert whose distinguished career bridges electoral politics, public policy, law, and strategic communications. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania School of Law in 1999, after earning his B.A. from the University of Virginia in 1993.
Early in his career, Restrepo served on the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, where he worked on major international issues including Haiti’s political transition, Central American peace negotiations, and Mexico’s economic crisis. He also played a key legal role for the Democratic Party during the pivotal 2000 Florida vote count.
Restrepo went on to direct The Americas Project at the Center for American Progress, focusing on U.S.-Latin America relations and the evolving role of Hispanic communities in American politics.
At the White House, Restrepo was Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council. As Special Assistant to President Barack Obama, he led U.S. policy toward Latin America, Canada, and the Caribbean, organizing President Obama’s five trips to Latin America and facilitating over 30 meetings with regional leaders. He also advised Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, and other senior officials on their engagements in the region.
Restrepo played a pivotal role in the Obama presidential campaign, helping to shape strategies for engaging Hispanic voters and serving as a Spanish-language spokesperson during the 2008 election. He made history in April 2009 as the first person to participate in a White House press conference in Spanish.
In addition to his policy work, Restrepo has provided analysis and commentary on major news networks, including serving as a political contributor for CNN, and is regularly featured in both English and Spanish-language media discussing international affairs and U.S. politics.
Recognized as one of the most influential Latinos in the United States for three consecutive years, Dan Restrepo continues to be a sought-after voice on global policy issues, offering insights on international affairs, U.S. politics, and the intersection of culture, society, and governance.