Rafael is the National Director of Communications, bringing extensive experience in public affairs, communications, and media relations across public, nonprofit, and private sectors. He served in the Biden-Harris administration from 2021 to 2025 — first as Press Secretary for the International Trade Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce, then as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs for Human Services at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In these roles, he led national and international communications initiatives on trade, foreign direct investment, and public health.

He has worked as a journalist in both the United States and Mexico, reporting on community development, presidential visits, feature profiles, and the transnational drug war. In the private sector, he excelled as a marketing manager for entertainment venues, coordinating with performers and their representatives to promote shows and tours. His public affairs includes service to local, state, federal, and international organizations, including the U.S. House of Representatives and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Additionally, he worked as a court interpreter for the U.S. Departments of Justice and Homeland Security, and has led Latino engagement and media relations for state and presidential campaigns, with an emphasis on immigration, international trade, economics, racial justice, and fair representation.

A native of Laredo, Texas, Rafael studied journalism and anthropology at Baylor University. He also pursued studies in indigenous languages and ethnography at universities and institutions across the United States, Mexico, and El Salvador.