Governor, Florida
Ron DeSantis is the 46th Governor of the State of Florida. Since taking office in January 2019, he has worked hard to expand education opportunities, improve Florida’s water resources and Everglades, champion vocational training, bolster public safety, foster innovation in health care, assist with hurricane recovery, promote infrastructure development and support veterans – all while lowering taxes and being fiscally responsible.
A native Floridian, Governor DeSantis worked his way through Yale University, where he captained the university baseball team and graduated magna cum laude. He also gradated with honors from Harvard Law School. While at Harvard, he earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a JAG Officer. During his active duty service, then- Lieutenant DeSantis deployed to Iraq as an advisor to a U.S. Navy SEAL Commander in support of the SEAL mission in Iraq. His military decorations include the Iraq Campaign Medal of the Bronze Star Medal (meritorious service).
Prior to serving as Governor, DeSantis served as the U.S. Congressman for Florida’s 6th District. As Chairman of the National Security Subcommittee, DeSantis spearheaded efforts to reform the UA, combat terrorism, identify government waste and relocate the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. As a Congressman, DeSantis championed term limits, fiscal responsibility with a strong national defense.
Governor DeSantis is married to First Lady Casey DeSantis, a former Emmy Award winning television host. They are the proud parents of two children, Madison and Mason. They are the youngest family living in the Florida Governor’s Mansion in nearly fifty years.
Former White House Press Secretary
Kayleigh McEnany currently serves as co-host of Outnumbered (weekdays, 12 PM/ET) on FOX News Channel. McEnany also contributes across all of FOX News Media platforms as an on-air commentator. She joined the network in March 2021.
Prior to joining FOX News Channel, McEnany served as White House Press Secretary under former President Donald Trump. She served as White House Press Secretary from April 2020 through the end of former President Trump’s term. Previously, McEnany held the title of national spokesperson for the Republican National Committee before joining the Trump campaign as national press secretary. She got her start in politics as an intern for former Rep. Adam Putnam (R-FL) and later, in the White House Office of Media Affairs during President George W. Bush’s administration.
Additionally prior to her role at the White House, McEnany worked as a political analyst at CNN. She has also been a contributor at The Hill and a columnist for Above the Law. She began her career in media as an intern at FOX News, where she later became a production assistant.
An alumna of Harvard Law School, McEnany earned her Juris Doctor in 2016. She also holds a degree in international politics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Affairs and studied politics and international relations at Oxford University, St. Edmund Hall. In 2018, McEnany authored her first book, The New American Revolution: The Making of a Populist Movement.
Governor, Florida
Ron DeSantis is the 46th Governor of the State of Florida. Since taking office in January 2019, he has worked hard to expand education opportunities, improve Florida’s water resources and Everglades, champion vocational training, bolster public safety, foster innovation in health care, assist with hurricane recovery, promote infrastructure development and support veterans – all while lowering taxes and being fiscally responsible.
A native Floridian, Governor DeSantis worked his way through Yale University, where he captained the university baseball team and graduated magna cum laude. He also gradated with honors from Harvard Law School. While at Harvard, he earned a commission in the U.S. Navy as a JAG Officer. During his active duty service, then- Lieutenant DeSantis deployed to Iraq as an advisor to a U.S. Navy SEAL Commander in support of the SEAL mission in Iraq. His military decorations include the Iraq Campaign Medal of the Bronze Star Medal (meritorious service).
Prior to serving as Governor, DeSantis served as the U.S. Congressman for Florida’s 6th District. As Chairman of the National Security Subcommittee, DeSantis spearheaded efforts to reform the UA, combat terrorism, identify government waste and relocate the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. As a Congressman, DeSantis championed term limits, fiscal responsibility with a strong national defense.
Governor DeSantis is married to First Lady Casey DeSantis, a former Emmy Award winning television host. They are the proud parents of two children, Madison and Mason. They are the youngest family living in the Florida Governor’s Mansion in nearly fifty years.
Former White House Press Secretary
Kayleigh McEnany currently serves as co-host of Outnumbered (weekdays, 12 PM/ET) on FOX News Channel. McEnany also contributes across all of FOX News Media platforms as an on-air commentator. She joined the network in March 2021.
Prior to joining FOX News Channel, McEnany served as White House Press Secretary under former President Donald Trump. She served as White House Press Secretary from April 2020 through the end of former President Trump’s term. Previously, McEnany held the title of national spokesperson for the Republican National Committee before joining the Trump campaign as national press secretary. She got her start in politics as an intern for former Rep. Adam Putnam (R-FL) and later, in the White House Office of Media Affairs during President George W. Bush’s administration.
Additionally prior to her role at the White House, McEnany worked as a political analyst at CNN. She has also been a contributor at The Hill and a columnist for Above the Law. She began her career in media as an intern at FOX News, where she later became a production assistant.
An alumna of Harvard Law School, McEnany earned her Juris Doctor in 2016. She also holds a degree in international politics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Affairs and studied politics and international relations at Oxford University, St. Edmund Hall. In 2018, McEnany authored her first book, The New American Revolution: The Making of a Populist Movement.
48th Vice President of the United States
Michael R. Pence was born in Columbus, Indiana, on June 7, 1959, one of six children born to Edward and Nancy Pence. As a young boy he had a front row seat to the American Dream. After his grandfather immigrated to the United States when he was 17, his family settled in the Midwest. The future Vice President watched his Mom and Dad build everything that matters—a family, a business, and a good name. Sitting at the feet of his mother and his father, who started a successful convenience store business in their small Indiana town, he was raised to believe in the importance of hard work, faith, and family.
Vice President Pence set off for Hanover College, earning his bachelor’s degree in history in 1981. While there, he renewed his Christian faith which remains the driving force in his life. He later attended Indiana University School of Law and met the love of his life, Second Lady Karen Pence.
After graduating, Vice President Pence practiced law, led the Indiana Policy Review Foundation, and began hosting The Mike Pence Show, a syndicated talk radio show and a weekly television public affairs program in Indiana. Along the way he became the proud father to three children, Michael, Charlotte, and Audrey.
Growing up in Indiana, surrounded by good, hardworking Hoosiers, Vice President Pence always knew that he needed to give back to the state and the country that had given him so much. In 2000, he launched a successful bid for his local congressional seat, entering the United States House of Representatives at the age of 40.
The people of East-Central Indiana elected Vice President Pence six times to represent them in Congress. On Capitol Hill he established himself as a champion of limited government, fiscal responsibility, economic development, educational opportunity, and the U.S. Constitution. His colleagues quickly recognized his leadership ability and unanimously elected him to serve as Chairman of the House Republican Study Committee and House Republican Conference Chairman. In this role, the Vice President helped make government smaller and more effective, reduce spending, and return power to state and local governments.
In 2013, Vice President Pence left the nation’s capital when Hoosiers elected him the 50th Governor of Indiana. He brought the same limited government and low tax philosophy to the Indiana Statehouse. As Governor, he enacted the largest income tax cut in Indiana history, lowering individual income tax rates, the business personal property tax, and the corporate income tax in order to strengthen the State’s competitive edge and attract new investment and good-paying jobs. Due to his relentless focus on jobs, the state’s unemployment rate fell by half during his four years in office, and at the end of his term, more Hoosiers were working than at any point in the state’s 200-year history.
As Governor of Indiana, Vice President Pence increased school funding, expanded school choice, and created the first state-funded Pre-K plan in Indiana history. He made career and technical education a priority in every high school. Under Vice President Pence’s leadership, Indiana, known as “The Crossroads of America,” invested more than $800 million in new money for roads and bridges across the state. Despite the record tax cuts and new investments in roads and schools, the state remained fiscally responsible, as the Vice President worked with members of the Indiana General Assembly to pass two honestly balanced budgets that left the state with strong reserves and AAA credit ratings that were the envy of the nation.
It was Indiana’s success story, Vice President Pence’s record of legislative and executive experience, and his strong family values that prompted President Donald Trump to select Mike Pence as his running mate in July 2016. The American people elected President Donald Trump and Vice President Pence on November 8, 2016. President Donald Trump and Vice President Pence entered office on January 20, 2017.
In February 2021, Vice President Mike Pence joined the Heritage Foundation as a distinguished visiting fellow. The Heritage Foundation helped shape Vice President Mike Pence’s conservative philosophy for decades and played a pivotal role advancing conservative policies throughout the Trump Administration. Vice President Pence also joined Young America’s Foundation as the Ronald Reagan Presidential Scholar. Long before Mike Pence became Vice President to President Donald Trump, the vision and leadership of Ronald Reagan inspired his youth.
Vice President Mike Pence remains grateful for the grace of God, the love and support of his family, and the blessings of liberty that are every American’s birthright.
48th Vice President of the United States
Michael R. Pence was born in Columbus, Indiana, on June 7, 1959, one of six children born to Edward and Nancy Pence. As a young boy he had a front row seat to the American Dream. After his grandfather immigrated to the United States when he was 17, his family settled in the Midwest. The future Vice President watched his Mom and Dad build everything that matters—a family, a business, and a good name. Sitting at the feet of his mother and his father, who started a successful convenience store business in their small Indiana town, he was raised to believe in the importance of hard work, faith, and family.
Vice President Pence set off for Hanover College, earning his bachelor’s degree in history in 1981. While there, he renewed his Christian faith which remains the driving force in his life. He later attended Indiana University School of Law and met the love of his life, Second Lady Karen Pence.
After graduating, Vice President Pence practiced law, led the Indiana Policy Review Foundation, and began hosting The Mike Pence Show, a syndicated talk radio show and a weekly television public affairs program in Indiana. Along the way he became the proud father to three children, Michael, Charlotte, and Audrey.
Growing up in Indiana, surrounded by good, hardworking Hoosiers, Vice President Pence always knew that he needed to give back to the state and the country that had given him so much. In 2000, he launched a successful bid for his local congressional seat, entering the United States House of Representatives at the age of 40.
The people of East-Central Indiana elected Vice President Pence six times to represent them in Congress. On Capitol Hill he established himself as a champion of limited government, fiscal responsibility, economic development, educational opportunity, and the U.S. Constitution. His colleagues quickly recognized his leadership ability and unanimously elected him to serve as Chairman of the House Republican Study Committee and House Republican Conference Chairman. In this role, the Vice President helped make government smaller and more effective, reduce spending, and return power to state and local governments.
In 2013, Vice President Pence left the nation’s capital when Hoosiers elected him the 50th Governor of Indiana. He brought the same limited government and low tax philosophy to the Indiana Statehouse. As Governor, he enacted the largest income tax cut in Indiana history, lowering individual income tax rates, the business personal property tax, and the corporate income tax in order to strengthen the State’s competitive edge and attract new investment and good-paying jobs. Due to his relentless focus on jobs, the state’s unemployment rate fell by half during his four years in office, and at the end of his term, more Hoosiers were working than at any point in the state’s 200-year history.
As Governor of Indiana, Vice President Pence increased school funding, expanded school choice, and created the first state-funded Pre-K plan in Indiana history. He made career and technical education a priority in every high school. Under Vice President Pence’s leadership, Indiana, known as “The Crossroads of America,” invested more than $800 million in new money for roads and bridges across the state. Despite the record tax cuts and new investments in roads and schools, the state remained fiscally responsible, as the Vice President worked with members of the Indiana General Assembly to pass two honestly balanced budgets that left the state with strong reserves and AAA credit ratings that were the envy of the nation.
It was Indiana’s success story, Vice President Pence’s record of legislative and executive experience, and his strong family values that prompted President Donald Trump to select Mike Pence as his running mate in July 2016. The American people elected President Donald Trump and Vice President Pence on November 8, 2016. President Donald Trump and Vice President Pence entered office on January 20, 2017.
In February 2021, Vice President Mike Pence joined the Heritage Foundation as a distinguished visiting fellow. The Heritage Foundation helped shape Vice President Mike Pence’s conservative philosophy for decades and played a pivotal role advancing conservative policies throughout the Trump Administration. Vice President Pence also joined Young America’s Foundation as the Ronald Reagan Presidential Scholar. Long before Mike Pence became Vice President to President Donald Trump, the vision and leadership of Ronald Reagan inspired his youth.
Vice President Mike Pence remains grateful for the grace of God, the love and support of his family, and the blessings of liberty that are every American’s birthright.
Partner, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
Philip litigates complex matters in state and federal courts. He has briefed appeals in multiple U.S. Courts of Appeals, including the Sixth, Seventh, and Ninth Circuits, as well as state appellate courts in Ohio, Kentucky, and Georgia. Philip has also represented amici at both the cert petition and merits stages in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Prior to joining Taft, Philip served as a law clerk for Judge Raymond M. Kethledge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Judge Amul R. Thapar of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Judge Lavenski R. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
Philip serves on the board of directors for the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky lawyers chapters of the Federalist Society. He was a 2018 James Wilson Fellow with the James Wilson Institute, a 2013 John Marshall Fellow with the Claremont Institute Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, and a 2011 Blackstone Fellow with the Alliance Defending Freedom.
Philip received his undergraduate degree, with Highest Honors, from Ouachita Baptist University. He received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he served as the submissions review editor for the Journal of Law and Politics.
Partner, Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP
Philip litigates complex matters in state and federal courts. He has briefed appeals in multiple U.S. Courts of Appeals, including the Sixth, Seventh, and Ninth Circuits, as well as state appellate courts in Ohio, Kentucky, and Georgia. Philip has also represented amici at both the cert petition and merits stages in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Prior to joining Taft, Philip served as a law clerk for Judge Raymond M. Kethledge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Judge Amul R. Thapar of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Judge Lavenski R. Smith of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.
Philip serves on the board of directors for the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky lawyers chapters of the Federalist Society. He was a 2018 James Wilson Fellow with the James Wilson Institute, a 2013 John Marshall Fellow with the Claremont Institute Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, and a 2011 Blackstone Fellow with the Alliance Defending Freedom.
Philip received his undergraduate degree, with Highest Honors, from Ouachita Baptist University. He received his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he served as the submissions review editor for the Journal of Law and Politics.
Vice President of Legal Affairs, Beacon Center of Tennessee
Wen Fa is the Vice President of Legal Affairs at the Beacon Center of Tennessee. He also serves on Beacon’s senior leadership team. Wen leads Beacon’s legal department in its efforts to protect the constitutional rights of property owners, entrepreneurs, and other Americans in courts across the United States. Having immigrated to America from Beijing, Wen believes that property rights, economic liberty, and equality under the law are essential to a free society and strives to advance those principles through his work.
Before joining Beacon, Wen was a senior attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation, where he litigated numerous cases involving equality under the law, free speech, economic liberty, and property rights. Wen litigated two Supreme Court cases: Minnesota Voters Alliance v. Mansky, which vindicated the free speech rights of voters, and Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid, which secured the property rights of agricultural businesses. Wen has also secured important victories for farmers standing up against a racially discriminatory federal farm loan forgiveness program and small business owners who fought back against racial preferences in small business grants.
In addition to litigation, Wen promotes liberty through speeches, debates, and op-eds. Wen testified before Congress in 2021 and has published numerous op-eds in newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal, the Hill, and San Francisco Chronicle. He has spoken about his work in podcasts, on television, and in speeches to students at Georgetown, Duke, and law schools around the country.
Wen graduated with a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Texas-Dallas, a master’s degree in political theory from the London School of Economics, where he studied under libertarian scholar Chandran Kukathas, and a law degree from the University of Michigan. Wen is licensed to practice law in California, Texas, and several federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States.
Founder and President, Sunshine Gasoline Distributors
Because of his humble beginnings, Maximo Alvarez has always believed in helping the community, as well as the industry in which he has spent most of his career. Mr. Alvarez has been very involved in the Florida Petroleum Marketers Association and was elected Chairman of the Board in 2000 and inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2005. He has worked closely with the Petroleum Council as a tireless advocate for the industry. He has also received awards for his work in Hope for Vision and the Transplant Foundation. In 2006, Maximo became a trustee of Pedro Pan Group, a non-profit organization for immigrant children. In 2010, he was inducted into the Belmont Abbey Wall of Fame. He later received a doctorate of laws honoris causa from Belmont Abbey in 2015. Mr. Alvarez serves as a trustee for The First Tee, a junior program that sets out to positively impact the lives of young people through the game of golf. In 2016, he was appointed by Rick Scott, the governor of Florida, to serve on the Florida State University Board of Trustees. In addition, he is also serving as chairman of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Florida Consumers’ Council, appointed by the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam Putnam. Sunshine Gasoline has been a constant sponsor of Miami Children’s Hospital and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Mr. Alvarez’s biggest dream was recently fulfilled when Centro Hispano Catolico opened its door to over 300 children. The Centro Hispano Catolico is a day care center for under privileged children created in honor of Monsignor Bryan O. Walsh. Mr. Alvarez is a strong believer in the philosophy that every new generation must be better than the last. This philosophy is carried out by his legacy of generosity that began when he was thirteen years old. Ever grateful of the country that allowed him to be where he is today and proud of his success, he states; “If I were to give back everything I have today, it would only be 10% of what was given to me”.
Former Vice Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Kristina Arriaga is a passionate communicator with a storied life. Early on in her career, she orchestrated the rescue of a Cuban woman and her two children, for which she was featured in Vanity Fair and Reader’s Digest. More recently, she visited American Pastor Andrew Brunson in a prison in Turkey where she advocated for his release in Congress, in Turkey, and through the pages of The Wall Street Journal. In her other life, as President and CEO of Intrinsic Communications, she helps her clients elevate their stories in the court of public opinion.
Arriaga also serves with the inaugural group of seven trustees who oversee a newly created Oversight Board, an independent entity that makes biding decisions on content moderation for Meta’s 2.9 billion users. Its 20-member Board includes Judge Michael McConnell (Stanford Law School), Helle Thorning-Schmidt (former prime minister of Denmark), and Tawakkol Karman (first Arab woman to win a Nobel prize), among other notable freedom of expression experts.
Formerly, in 2016, the U.S. Congress appointed her to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, where she was elected Vice Chair for two consecutive terms. During her 3-year tenure, she met with high-ranking government officials to advocate for human rights in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Nigeria, Turkey, and many other countries. In protest over legislation that turned the watchdog agency into a government lapdog, she resigned with an explanatory op-ed for the Wall Street Journal.
Before the Commission, Arriaga was a member of the U.S. delegation to the UN Human Rights Commission and the executive director of a public interest law firm that defends free expression. During her tenure at the law firm, she oversaw several strategic public relations campaigns on landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Arriaga is the recipient of the 2017 Newseum Free Expression Award along with Apple’s CEO Tim Cook, ABC’s correspondent Martha Raddatz, and civil rights champion John Lewis.
A sought-after speaker, she has appeared on BBC, MSNBC, C-Span, CNN, and NPR, among many others. She has lectured in numerous universities worldwide. Her 2020 op-ed for USAToday, “My family fled Fidel Castro's Cuba, where 'cancel culture' was deadly serious” went viral. Her recent interviews include an extended feature by Crux entitled: “Cuban Americans cling to both U.S., Cuban identities.”
Justice, Florida Supreme Court
John D. Couriel is the 90th Justice of the Florida Supreme Court. Justice Couriel was born in Miami, Florida in 1978. He is married to Rebecca L. Toonkel, M.D. They have two children.
Justice Couriel received his A.B. magna cum laude from Harvard College in 2000 and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2003. He clerked for the Honorable John D. Bates of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia before joining Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York. His practice there included securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy matters, and investigations. In 2009, he became an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. He prosecuted hundreds of federal offenses, including international money laundering, public integrity, healthcare fraud, and human trafficking crimes. In 2013, he joined Kobre & Kim LLP, where he specialized in cross-border disputes and investigations relating to financial products and services, asset recovery, and government enforcement defense, with an emphasis on clients in Latin America.
Justice Couriel is a native speaker of Spanish. His parents emigrated from Cuba in the 1960s, his father as one of approximately 14,000 unaccompanied minors welcomed to the United States as part of Operation Pedro Pan.
He was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court by Governor Ron DeSantis on June 1, 2020.
Host, Hola Ota-Ola!
Alexander Otaola is a Cuban-American actor, social media influencer, and political activist. Otaola is the host of the web show Hola Ota-Ola!, an informative and satirical program that covers entertainment, news and politics. His show debuted on Cubanos por el Mundo: a cross platform media initiative, website, and YouTube channel that covers politics, news, and celebrity culture in Cuba and the Cuban exile community. Alexander Otaola is a vocal opponent of the communist regime in Cuba denouncing its human rights violations and crimes in all his shows.
Founder, Cuba Decide
Rosa María Payá Acevedo is a Cuban democracy activist and human rights
defender. In 2015, she founded the citizen initiative Cuba Decide, a movement in
favor of changing the political and economic systems in Cuba towards democracy,
through a plebiscite. She is the daughter of the late Oswaldo Payá, the recipient of
the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize and two-time nominee of the Nobel
Peace Prize, who was killed by the regime in 2012. Rosa María is a graduate of
Physics at the University of Havana and of the Global Competitive Leadership
program at Georgetown University. She has been a lecturer and guest of honor at
various universities throughout the United States and Latin America, as well as at
the UN, the Concordia Summit of the Americas, the Freedom Forum, the US
Congress, and multiple parliaments in Europe and the Americas.
In 2020, she was the recipient of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute
(CHLI) Ileana Ros-Lehtinen International Leadership Award for her global advocacy
and leadership. In 2019 she was the winner of the Morris Abram Human Rights
Award granted by UN Watch. She has also been granted the Casa Cuba Award in
Tampa, Florida, and with the Keys of the City of Miami, a city that has established
an annual day in honor of this Cuban activist and that, thanks to the work of Cuba
Decide platform, has declared July 22 as the Day of Victims of Communism in
America. In 2013, she was selected as one of the “25 most powerful women”
according to People en Español magazine.
She is the Honorary President of the Latin American Youth Network for Democracy,
an organization with which she established, in collaboration with the Pan American
Democracy Foundation, the Oswaldo Payá Prize “Libertad y Vida” that, since 2016,
seeks to recognize people and institutions that have made extraordinary
contributions to the defense of democracy.
Her work has made her part of the Global Americans New Generation of Public
Intellectuals initiative in 2018. In recent years, Payá Acevedo has been a
contributor to a number of periodical publications of global relevance, including The
Washington Post and CNN.
Former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States
Carlos Trujillo, Ambassador, Retired, and Partner at Continental Strategy based in Washington, D.C. with offices in Miami, is a prominent Florida attorney and politician with a thorough understanding of Latin American politics and business. He served as United States Ambassador to the Organization of American States (2018-2021), as a member of the Florida House of Representatives (2010-2018) and as Founding Partner of Trujillo, Vargas, Gonzalez and Hevia LLP (2011–2017) and as an Assistant State Attorney in Florida’s 11th Judicial District (2007-2011).
After being appointed by former President Donald J. Trump to serve as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States, Trujillo was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate and served as Ambassador from March 30, 2018 until January 20, 2021. During his time at the OAS, Trujillo served as Chair of the Permanent Council, Budget Committee and the Economic Development Committee. He also led the effort to re-elect Secretary General Luis Almagro.
Trujillo also was appointed by President Trump and served as a Representative of the United States to the 72nd General Assembly of the United Nations under former Ambassador Nikki Haley and was nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere. Trujillo, a native Spanish speaker, is known for his strong ties to the Hispanic community, legal acumen and leadership, and has a wealth of knowledge and connections in Latin American politics.
Prior to serving as Ambassador, Trujillo was elected as State Representative for the 105th District in the Florida House of Representatives, where he served in various capacities, including as Chairman of the Florida House Appropriations Committee, he appropriated and oversaw an $83.5 billion dollar budget. He also served as Chair of the Economic Development Subcommittee, and Chair of Criminal Justice Subcommittee.
Trujillo was a Founding Partner of Trujillo, Vargas, Gonzalez and Hevia LLP, based in Coral Gables, Florida. Under his leadership, the firm grew to more than 50 employees and generated over $10 million in annual revenue. Previously, Trujillo served as Assistant State Attorney, Miami Dade County State Attorney’s Office, Miami, Florida (2007–2011) were he served as a training attorney and Felony Prosecutor. Prior to founding Trujillo Vargas, LLP Carlos was an Assistant State Attorney for the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida, where he was responsible for felony prosecutions. While working as an Assistant State Attorney, he tried 54 criminal trials, 26 jury trials to verdict and was served as first chair on 20 jury selections. Previously, Carlos was a training attorney in the County Court Division, and also served in the Juvenile Court Division
He currently serves on the Board of Florida International University, as a member and manager of multiple real-estate holding companies in Coral Gables, Florida, and has also served as a Board Member on the Public Health Trust of Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida (2015–2016) and as a member of the Electoral College in 2016.
Trujillo earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama (2004) and a J.D. from Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida (2007). He is an active member of the Florida Bar since 2007 and received an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell. He is married to Carmen Maria Mir and they have four children – Carlos, Isabella, Juan Pablo and Felipe.
Founder and President, Sunshine Gasoline Distributors
Because of his humble beginnings, Maximo Alvarez has always believed in helping the community, as well as the industry in which he has spent most of his career. Mr. Alvarez has been very involved in the Florida Petroleum Marketers Association and was elected Chairman of the Board in 2000 and inducted into its Hall of Fame in 2005. He has worked closely with the Petroleum Council as a tireless advocate for the industry. He has also received awards for his work in Hope for Vision and the Transplant Foundation. In 2006, Maximo became a trustee of Pedro Pan Group, a non-profit organization for immigrant children. In 2010, he was inducted into the Belmont Abbey Wall of Fame. He later received a doctorate of laws honoris causa from Belmont Abbey in 2015. Mr. Alvarez serves as a trustee for The First Tee, a junior program that sets out to positively impact the lives of young people through the game of golf. In 2016, he was appointed by Rick Scott, the governor of Florida, to serve on the Florida State University Board of Trustees. In addition, he is also serving as chairman of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Florida Consumers’ Council, appointed by the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam Putnam. Sunshine Gasoline has been a constant sponsor of Miami Children’s Hospital and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Mr. Alvarez’s biggest dream was recently fulfilled when Centro Hispano Catolico opened its door to over 300 children. The Centro Hispano Catolico is a day care center for under privileged children created in honor of Monsignor Bryan O. Walsh. Mr. Alvarez is a strong believer in the philosophy that every new generation must be better than the last. This philosophy is carried out by his legacy of generosity that began when he was thirteen years old. Ever grateful of the country that allowed him to be where he is today and proud of his success, he states; “If I were to give back everything I have today, it would only be 10% of what was given to me”.
Former Vice Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Kristina Arriaga is a passionate communicator with a storied life. Early on in her career, she orchestrated the rescue of a Cuban woman and her two children, for which she was featured in Vanity Fair and Reader’s Digest. More recently, she visited American Pastor Andrew Brunson in a prison in Turkey where she advocated for his release in Congress, in Turkey, and through the pages of The Wall Street Journal. In her other life, as President and CEO of Intrinsic Communications, she helps her clients elevate their stories in the court of public opinion.
Arriaga also serves with the inaugural group of seven trustees who oversee a newly created Oversight Board, an independent entity that makes biding decisions on content moderation for Meta’s 2.9 billion users. Its 20-member Board includes Judge Michael McConnell (Stanford Law School), Helle Thorning-Schmidt (former prime minister of Denmark), and Tawakkol Karman (first Arab woman to win a Nobel prize), among other notable freedom of expression experts.
Formerly, in 2016, the U.S. Congress appointed her to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, where she was elected Vice Chair for two consecutive terms. During her 3-year tenure, she met with high-ranking government officials to advocate for human rights in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Nigeria, Turkey, and many other countries. In protest over legislation that turned the watchdog agency into a government lapdog, she resigned with an explanatory op-ed for the Wall Street Journal.
Before the Commission, Arriaga was a member of the U.S. delegation to the UN Human Rights Commission and the executive director of a public interest law firm that defends free expression. During her tenure at the law firm, she oversaw several strategic public relations campaigns on landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Arriaga is the recipient of the 2017 Newseum Free Expression Award along with Apple’s CEO Tim Cook, ABC’s correspondent Martha Raddatz, and civil rights champion John Lewis.
A sought-after speaker, she has appeared on BBC, MSNBC, C-Span, CNN, and NPR, among many others. She has lectured in numerous universities worldwide. Her 2020 op-ed for USAToday, “My family fled Fidel Castro's Cuba, where 'cancel culture' was deadly serious” went viral. Her recent interviews include an extended feature by Crux entitled: “Cuban Americans cling to both U.S., Cuban identities.”
Justice, Florida Supreme Court
John D. Couriel is the 90th Justice of the Florida Supreme Court. Justice Couriel was born in Miami, Florida in 1978. He is married to Rebecca L. Toonkel, M.D. They have two children.
Justice Couriel received his A.B. magna cum laude from Harvard College in 2000 and his J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2003. He clerked for the Honorable John D. Bates of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia before joining Davis Polk & Wardwell in New York. His practice there included securities offerings, mergers and acquisitions, bankruptcy matters, and investigations. In 2009, he became an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. He prosecuted hundreds of federal offenses, including international money laundering, public integrity, healthcare fraud, and human trafficking crimes. In 2013, he joined Kobre & Kim LLP, where he specialized in cross-border disputes and investigations relating to financial products and services, asset recovery, and government enforcement defense, with an emphasis on clients in Latin America.
Justice Couriel is a native speaker of Spanish. His parents emigrated from Cuba in the 1960s, his father as one of approximately 14,000 unaccompanied minors welcomed to the United States as part of Operation Pedro Pan.
He was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court by Governor Ron DeSantis on June 1, 2020.
Host, Hola Ota-Ola!
Alexander Otaola is a Cuban-American actor, social media influencer, and political activist. Otaola is the host of the web show Hola Ota-Ola!, an informative and satirical program that covers entertainment, news and politics. His show debuted on Cubanos por el Mundo: a cross platform media initiative, website, and YouTube channel that covers politics, news, and celebrity culture in Cuba and the Cuban exile community. Alexander Otaola is a vocal opponent of the communist regime in Cuba denouncing its human rights violations and crimes in all his shows.
Founder, Cuba Decide
Rosa María Payá Acevedo is a Cuban democracy activist and human rights
defender. In 2015, she founded the citizen initiative Cuba Decide, a movement in
favor of changing the political and economic systems in Cuba towards democracy,
through a plebiscite. She is the daughter of the late Oswaldo Payá, the recipient of
the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize and two-time nominee of the Nobel
Peace Prize, who was killed by the regime in 2012. Rosa María is a graduate of
Physics at the University of Havana and of the Global Competitive Leadership
program at Georgetown University. She has been a lecturer and guest of honor at
various universities throughout the United States and Latin America, as well as at
the UN, the Concordia Summit of the Americas, the Freedom Forum, the US
Congress, and multiple parliaments in Europe and the Americas.
In 2020, she was the recipient of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute
(CHLI) Ileana Ros-Lehtinen International Leadership Award for her global advocacy
and leadership. In 2019 she was the winner of the Morris Abram Human Rights
Award granted by UN Watch. She has also been granted the Casa Cuba Award in
Tampa, Florida, and with the Keys of the City of Miami, a city that has established
an annual day in honor of this Cuban activist and that, thanks to the work of Cuba
Decide platform, has declared July 22 as the Day of Victims of Communism in
America. In 2013, she was selected as one of the “25 most powerful women”
according to People en Español magazine.
She is the Honorary President of the Latin American Youth Network for Democracy,
an organization with which she established, in collaboration with the Pan American
Democracy Foundation, the Oswaldo Payá Prize “Libertad y Vida” that, since 2016,
seeks to recognize people and institutions that have made extraordinary
contributions to the defense of democracy.
Her work has made her part of the Global Americans New Generation of Public
Intellectuals initiative in 2018. In recent years, Payá Acevedo has been a
contributor to a number of periodical publications of global relevance, including The
Washington Post and CNN.
Former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States
Carlos Trujillo, Ambassador, Retired, and Partner at Continental Strategy based in Washington, D.C. with offices in Miami, is a prominent Florida attorney and politician with a thorough understanding of Latin American politics and business. He served as United States Ambassador to the Organization of American States (2018-2021), as a member of the Florida House of Representatives (2010-2018) and as Founding Partner of Trujillo, Vargas, Gonzalez and Hevia LLP (2011–2017) and as an Assistant State Attorney in Florida’s 11th Judicial District (2007-2011).
After being appointed by former President Donald J. Trump to serve as the U.S. Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States, Trujillo was unanimously confirmed by the United States Senate and served as Ambassador from March 30, 2018 until January 20, 2021. During his time at the OAS, Trujillo served as Chair of the Permanent Council, Budget Committee and the Economic Development Committee. He also led the effort to re-elect Secretary General Luis Almagro.
Trujillo also was appointed by President Trump and served as a Representative of the United States to the 72nd General Assembly of the United Nations under former Ambassador Nikki Haley and was nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere. Trujillo, a native Spanish speaker, is known for his strong ties to the Hispanic community, legal acumen and leadership, and has a wealth of knowledge and connections in Latin American politics.
Prior to serving as Ambassador, Trujillo was elected as State Representative for the 105th District in the Florida House of Representatives, where he served in various capacities, including as Chairman of the Florida House Appropriations Committee, he appropriated and oversaw an $83.5 billion dollar budget. He also served as Chair of the Economic Development Subcommittee, and Chair of Criminal Justice Subcommittee.
Trujillo was a Founding Partner of Trujillo, Vargas, Gonzalez and Hevia LLP, based in Coral Gables, Florida. Under his leadership, the firm grew to more than 50 employees and generated over $10 million in annual revenue. Previously, Trujillo served as Assistant State Attorney, Miami Dade County State Attorney’s Office, Miami, Florida (2007–2011) were he served as a training attorney and Felony Prosecutor. Prior to founding Trujillo Vargas, LLP Carlos was an Assistant State Attorney for the 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida, where he was responsible for felony prosecutions. While working as an Assistant State Attorney, he tried 54 criminal trials, 26 jury trials to verdict and was served as first chair on 20 jury selections. Previously, Carlos was a training attorney in the County Court Division, and also served in the Juvenile Court Division
He currently serves on the Board of Florida International University, as a member and manager of multiple real-estate holding companies in Coral Gables, Florida, and has also served as a Board Member on the Public Health Trust of Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida (2015–2016) and as a member of the Electoral College in 2016.
Trujillo earned a B.S. in Business Administration from Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama (2004) and a J.D. from Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida (2007). He is an active member of the Florida Bar since 2007 and received an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell. He is married to Carmen Maria Mir and they have four children – Carlos, Isabella, Juan Pablo and Felipe.
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