Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute Expanded Bipartisan Leadership

The Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) recently announced the addition of two new Congressional members to its bipartisan board of directors, including a Florida Representative. These additions serve to “solidify the representation of thoughtful leaders from the Hill in support of CHLI’s vision of advancing the Hispanic community’s diversity of thought and its important mission to develop future leaders.”




The new members of the Board of Directors are U.S. Representative Carlos Gimenez, a Florida Republican, and U.S. Representative Rob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat. They join existing bipartisan Congressional members on the board, including Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Henry Cuellar, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott and Central Florida Democratic Congressman Darren Soto.

Rep. Carlos Antonio Gimenez represents Florida’s 28th Congressional District, encompassing all of Monroe County and the southwest portion of Miami-Dade County. First elected to Congress in 2020, he serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the Homeland Security Committee, and the House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the US & the Chinese Communist Party. A former long-serving Mayor of Miami-Dade County, he is the first career firefighter paramedic to ever serve in the U.S. Congress. Gimenez was born in Cuba and arrived in the United States shortly after the Communist takeover of his native homeland.

Robert J. (Rob) Menendez represents New Jersey’s Eighth Congressional District, where he grew up and includes most of Hudson County, the East and North Wards of the City of Newark in Essex County, and the City of Elizabeth in Union County. He was sworn in on January 3, 2023. The grandson of Cuban immigrants and strong union members, Rob was born to a community leader and a public school educator who instilled in him at an early age the spirit and value of public service and giving back to his community. Rob served as a Commissioner of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He was the first Latino from New Jersey to serve on the Board and the first millennial Port Authority Commissioner. Menendez serves on the Committee on Homeland Security, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and sits on the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.

“CHLI is very fortunate to be able to add Congressman Gimenez and Congressman Menendez to its impressive Board of Directors. The Board and our vital programs will be well served by their expertise and dedication,” said The Honorable Lincoln Diaz-Balart, CHLI Chairman.