Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Senior Policy Director, Lobbying & Policy
Miami Connection
Represented South Florida's 27th Congressional District for three decades, championing economic policies like tax cuts, small business incentives, and federal budget balancing to boost local prosperity. As an educator and school founder in Miami-Dade, she advanced bilingual education and inspired community leadership among Hispanic residents. Her anti-Castro activism and foreign policy work strengthened Miami's role as a hub for Cuban-American influence and democracy advocacy.
About
Born in Havana, Cuba in 1952, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen fled the communist regime at age eight and settled in Miami, where she attended local schools including Southside Elementary in Little Havana. She earned multiple degrees in education, including an Ed.D. from the University of Miami, and began her career as a teacher before founding a private bilingual elementary school. Elected to the Florida House in 1982 and Senate in 1986 as the first Hispanic woman in those bodies, she won a special election to the U.S. Congress in 1989, representing Miami-Dade areas like Little Havana, Coral Gables, and the Florida Keys until 2019. Highlights include chairing the House Foreign Affairs Committee (2011-2013) and leading on national security, trade, and sanctions. Deeply rooted in Miami's Cuban exile community, she retired from Congress in 2019 and now works as a lobbyist and senior policy advisor.