.png)
Leadership Bios
Jonathan Dromgoole (He/Him/El)
Founder & President
.png)
Jonathan Dromgoole is a nationally recognized political strategist, Latino leader, and public affairs executive dedicated to building Latino political power and expanding representation at every level of government. As the founder and president of JUNTOS, he works to recruit, develop, support, and elect the next generation of Latino leaders while advancing opportunities for Latinos to serve in appointed and elected office.
Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Jonathan immigrated to the United States with his family at a young age. A first-generation college graduate and double graduate of Georgetown University, he has built a career at the intersection of public service, politics, and leadership, driven by a simple belief: our governments and institutions should reflect the communities they serve. He is also a graduate of the Sorensen Institute Emerging Leaders Program at the University of Virginia.
Jonathan is the Founder and Principal of The Dromgoole Group, a strategic social impact consulting firm that advises political campaigns, nonprofit organizations, public institutions, and mission-driven companies on strategy, stakeholder engagement, coalition-building, leadership development, and organizational growth.
Previously, Jonathan served in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel as Deputy Director for Economic Agency Personnel, where he oversaw the recruitment, vetting, and placement of more than 1,300 presidential appointees across the federal government's economic agencies. Before joining the White House, he served as Deputy White House Liaison at the U.S. Department of Transportation, helping recruit, appoint, and support political leadership during one of the largest infrastructure investments in American history.
Prior to his federal service, Jonathan led the Political Appointments Program at the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, where he worked alongside the White House to identify, recruit, and prepare LGBTQ leaders for presidential appointments. His efforts contributed to the most diverse administration in American history and established him as one of the nation's leading voices on political appointments, inclusive leadership, and representation in public service.
A sought-after political strategist, Jonathan has advised campaigns, elected officials, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations at the local, statewide, and presidential levels. His expertise in coalition-building, stakeholder engagement, fundraising, and political strategy has helped organizations build stronger movements and more effective leadership. As a former candidate for Arlington County Board, he also brings firsthand experience navigating the realities of running for office.
Throughout Virginia, Jonathan has dedicated himself to expanding Latino political influence. He previously served as President of the Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia (DLOV), becoming the organization's youngest and first openly LGBTQ+ president, and helped establish both the Latino Caucus and Equality Caucus of the Arlington County Democratic Committee. He previously served as the Director for LGBTQ+ Affairs for Virginia LULAC. In 2021, Governor Ralph Northam appointed him as an inaugural member of Virginia's LGBTQ+ Advisory Board, where he advised the Governor and state agencies on advancing equality and inclusion.
Jonathan is the author of Out to Lead: Shaping Queer Leadership, a book exploring how resilience shapes authentic leadership and why diverse perspectives make institutions stronger.
Jonathan's leadership with JUNTOS has been recognized nationally for its impact on politics, public service, and representation. He was named to the NextGen Collective's 30 Under 30, recognizing rising leaders transforming their industries and communities, and is a frequent speaker on political strategy, coalition-building, leadership development, and presidential appointments.
Today, Jonathan splits his time between Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles, continuing to build coalitions, advise leaders, and advance JUNTOS' mission of creating a nation where Latino voices are represented wherever decisions are made—not just at the ballot box, but in every room where leadership matters.
Carla Bustillos (She/Her/Hers)
Fundador
Carla Bustillos is a powerhouse advocate who has played key roles in campaigns at all levels not only across Virginia, but on the national stage. Her work has focused on uplifting the Latino community and lending her voice to the Venezuelan diaspora movement.
Nationally, she served as Executive Vice Chair of Venezolanos con Biden, a grassroots group focused on offering a space for dialogue and engagement between the Venezuelan Diaspora and the Biden-Harris campaign. She served on Todos con Biden Leadership Circle in 2020. She is a founding Director of Visión Democratica, a pro-democracy non-profit organization. She is a co-founder and advisory board member of the Venezuelan American Caucus.
In Virginia, Carla has served in leadership advisory roles co-chair of Todos con Terry in 2021, a DPVA State 2020 Convention Delegate for the 8th Congressional District, and Todos con Terry co-chair in 2021. In 2020 she was elected as Political Action Director for the Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia (Caucus). She served as Regional Co-Chair from Northern Virginia of DLOV in 2018 and 2020.
Carla actively contributed to the election of historic firsts for Virginia such as Delegate Elizabeth Guzman and Hala Ayala, the first Latino council member in the City of Alexandria, Canek Aguirre, and in the City of Herndon, Cesar del Águila. She also contributed to the re-election of Latino community champions like Councilman Fernando “Marty” Martinez, Delegate Alfonso Lopez, and Senator Tim Kaine.
Prior to this work, Carla held roles at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Government of the District of Columbia, and has supported the U.S. Federal Government in consulting roles for the NAVY and the Department of Health and Human Services.
A mother of three, sister of four, and spouse of an Air Force veteran she is a tireless advocate por la democracia.
Canek Aguirre
Fundador
Canek Aguirre was first elected to the Alexandria City Council in November 2018 and re-elected to a third term in 2024. He is the first Latino to ever serve on the Alexandria City Council. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Canek is a community advocate and progressive leader focused on improving the lives of all Alexandrians. As the son of Mexican immigrants, Canek knows first-hand the importance of hard work, education, and ensuring everyone has a fair shot at the American Dream.
During his time in public office, Canek has focused on increasing housing opportunities, investing in our public schools and transportation infrastructure, eliminating health inequities, and making government more accessible and accountable. Canek successfully led the City’s 2020 Census Complete Count Committee to achieve a 100% count of all Alexandria households - the only locality in the region to do so - and secured millions of dollars in federal funding for the next decade.
Canek is a past Chair of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) and is an alternate on both the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Board of Directors and the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Board of Directors. He also serves on the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board (TPB), the Leadership Council for the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy (ACAP), and is a member of the Alexandria Library Board and the Alexandria Commission on Aging. In 2016, Canek was appointed to the Virginia Board of Social Work, re-appointed for a second term in 2020, and unanimously elected Chair in 2022 and 2023.
A member of numerous boards and commissions in the region prior to his election, Canek has made it a priority to give back to his adopted community. He is a past Chair of the City of Alexandria’s Economic Opportunities Commission, past President of the Tenants and Workers United (TWU) Board of Directors, and past Vice Chair of the Health Systems Agency of Northern Virginia (HSANV) Board of Directors.
Canek has been recognized as one of the 100 most influential people for the Hispanic community in the Washington, D.C., metro area by El Tiempo Latino and as one of Alexandria’s 40 under 40 honorees.
Canek lives in the West End and is an active member of the Alexandria Democratic Committee. He is a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Jocelyn Garay (She/Her)
Fundadora
Jocelyn Garay is Director of External Affairs at CTIA. She leads engagement efforts on federal and state issues, Third Party partnerships and coalition building, Intergovernmental outreach, Accessibility Outreach and Online Safety. Her responsibilities include forming, coordinating and advocating wireless policy on topics of concern to CTIA membership, including critical issues involving taxation, broadband deployment, wireless verticals, and government mandates. Prior to joining CTIA, Jocelyn worked for Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, Congressman Don Beyer, and Senator Mark Warner, and the Dewey Square Group..
Jocelyn received her Bachelor of Arts from Marymount University with a degree in Communications, concentrating in Public Relations and Speech Communications.
Estuardo Rodriguez (He/Him)
Fundador
Estuardo Rodríguez is the President and CEO of Intersect Public Affairs, where he specializes in direct lobbying across Capitol Hill, the White House, and federal agencies in key sectors such as financial services, technology, telecommunications, and media. Recognized as a "Top Lobbyist" by The Hill and the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics, Estuardo has built a robust network of business and civil rights leaders, working to advance public policies that benefit both the public and private sectors.
Throughout his distinguished political career, Estuardo has remained deeply committed to advocating for the Hispanic community. His pivotal work on two presidential campaigns helped elevate the Latino community as a powerful political and economic force. Prior to his role at Intersect, Estuardo served as an attorney at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under Secretaries Henry Cisneros and Andrew Cuomo. He also worked as an independent political analyst for the U.S. Department of State, providing insight on Latin America and Europe.
Before founding Intersect, Estuardo co-founded Raben, where he helped lead the government affairs and communications practice groups for two decades. During his tenure, the firm expanded from a small DC-based team to a national presence across five states.
A recognized political commentator, Estuardo has appeared on CNN, CNN en Español, NTN 24, Univisión, and Telemundo. His expertise extends beyond politics into philanthropy and civic engagement. He currently serves as president and CEO of Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino, a campaign dedicated to establishing a Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino on the National Mall. Estuardo spearheaded the successful effort to secure congressional and White House approval for the museum, which was authorized in December 2020. Now, he is focused on ensuring the museum’s construction alongside other iconic institutions on the Mall. Estuardo is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the Advisory Board of the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership.
Alex Cintron (He/Him)
Fundador
Alex is a lifelong Virginian and dedicated advocate for increasing Latino leadership in the Commonwealth. He has experience working across state government, leading engagement for statewide campaigns, and supporting grassroots community advocacy. He currently serves as a Chief of Staff in the Virginia General Assembly.
Alex was Chief of Staff to Delegate Elizabeth Guzman and supported Delegate Alfonso Lopez’s legislative agenda during the 2022 session. During his tenure in the General Assembly, he has helped establish Virginia’s Latino legislative caucus. Alex began his career as a Governor’s Fellow for Governor Ralph Northam before transitioning to the Office of Attorney General under Attorney General Mark Herring. Alex supported Attorney General Herring's successful 2021 primary campaign and led the Latino outreach program for Governor Terry McAuliffe’s 2021 gubernatorial campaign, where he built relationships with leaders across Virginia.
Alex was elected Vice President of the Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia (DLOV) in 2021 and has served as a board member of both the Virginia and Richmond chapters of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). Alex served on the steering committee for the Richmond City Democratic Committee (RCDC) after spearheading the effort to establish a Latino caucus to improve representation for Latino residents of Richmond. Alex became President of DLOV in 2024.
Alex received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia in History and Government. He is also a graduate of the Sorensen Institute. Alex was elected to serve as the University’s first Latino student body president, where his efforts to establish a community food bank, secure funding for hygiene products in public facilities, and create a public safety community advisory board earned him the Virginia Latino Advisory Board’s inaugural Emerging Leader award.
He lives in Richmond with his partner, where he enjoys captaining a kickball team, reading science fiction, and watching movies.
Francisco Martin-Rayo (He/Him)
Board Member
Francisco is a serial entrepreneur, having started his first company, VuShare, during his senior year at UPenn. Before founding Helios AI, he was Chief Commercial Officer at Deep Labs AI, and prior to that was a Principal at the Boston Consulting Group, where he focused on digital transformations for Fortune 100 companies. He holds an MPP from Harvard University, a B.Sc. (Wharton) and a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, and he has been published in the Financial Times, Nikkei Asia, and Inc.com, among others.
He is the co-founder of ThinkBLUE, a non-profit organization that provides pro bono consulting services to political organizations, and was a member of Governor Ralph Northam’s Innovation Council during his 2017 campaign. Until 2017 he was the President and founder of the Winning the Minds Foundation, a non-profit organization which gave university scholarships to refugees in Pakistan as part of a counter-radicalization strategy.
Francisco served as a Term Member at the Council on Foreign Relations, a Fellow at the Truman National Security Project, and a 2017 Presidential Leadership Scholar.