THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 23, 2009
_________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 23, 2009
President Obama Appoints Members of the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino
WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced the appointment of several individuals to the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino.
The following individuals were appointed by President Obama to sit on the Commission: Emilio Estefan, Jr., Andrés W. López, Cindy Peña, Abigail M. Pollak, and Cid Wilson. Their bios are below. The President also announced that Gilberto Cárdenas and José B. Fernández, currently Members of the Commission, will continue their service on the Commission.
"I am pleased to appoint these outstanding men and women to the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino – a museum that would be dedicated to celebrating the history and achievements of Latinos in America," said President Obama. "It is fitting that, as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, these individuals will reinvigorate the efforts of this commission to honor the contributions of Latinos and Latinas to our country."
On May 8, 2008 the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino Act was signed into law. It created a 23 member commission, made up of appointees of the President and House and Senate leadership, tasked with studying over a two year period the feasibility of and plan for a new national museum in the nation’s capital that is dedicated to portraying the art, history, and culture of the Latino population of the United States.
President Obama appointed the following individuals to the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino:
Emilio Estefan, Jr., Member of the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino
Emilio Estefan, Jr. is a 19-time Grammy Award Winning music producer and songwriter. He was a founding member of Miami Sound Machine along with his wife Gloria Estefan. In addition, he has discovered, written and produced for successful artists including Shakira, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Jon Secada, and Jennifer López, among many other acclaimed artists. He has also produced high profile television events such as the Latin Grammy’s on CBS, The Hispanic Heritage Awards for NBC, large-scale concert events for HBO as well as on-going productions for Univision and Telemundo. In 2002 President George W. Bush appointed Mr. Estefan to the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities and to the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts.
Emilio Estefan, Jr., Member of the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino
Emilio Estefan, Jr. is a 19-time Grammy Award Winning music producer and songwriter. He was a founding member of Miami Sound Machine along with his wife Gloria Estefan. In addition, he has discovered, written and produced for successful artists including Shakira, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Jon Secada, and Jennifer López, among many other acclaimed artists. He has also produced high profile television events such as the Latin Grammy’s on CBS, The Hispanic Heritage Awards for NBC, large-scale concert events for HBO as well as on-going productions for Univision and Telemundo. In 2002 President George W. Bush appointed Mr. Estefan to the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities and to the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts.
Andrés W. López, Member of the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino
Andrés W. López is the founder of The Law Offices of Andrés W. López in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he focuses his practice on civil and commercial litigation. Before founding his firm, Mr. López served in San Juan as a Senior Associate at Fiddler González & Rodríguez and in Boston as an Associate at Hill & Barlow, P.C. He clerked for the Honorable George O’Toole, Jr. on the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts and for the Honorable Jay García-Gregory on the U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico. Mr. López currently serves as the Latino Alumni Chair at Harvard Law School and as President of the Harvard Club of Puerto Rico. He also serves as Co-Chair of the Harvard College Schools and Scholarships Committee in Puerto Rico, in charge of college interviewing. Mr. López recently served on the Steering Committee that successfully brought about the first-ever Latino Alumni Reunion at Harvard Law. He also served on the Advisory Board of the Harvard Latino Law Review, a publication he helped found during his law school tenure. Mr. López sits on the Board of Directors of the Federal Bar Association’s Puerto Rico Chapter, and he has held various leadership roles in the Hispanic National Bar Association. In 2007 he served as Co-Chair of the HNBA’s 32nd Annual Convention.
Andrés W. López is the founder of The Law Offices of Andrés W. López in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he focuses his practice on civil and commercial litigation. Before founding his firm, Mr. López served in San Juan as a Senior Associate at Fiddler González & Rodríguez and in Boston as an Associate at Hill & Barlow, P.C. He clerked for the Honorable George O’Toole, Jr. on the U.S. District Court in Massachusetts and for the Honorable Jay García-Gregory on the U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico. Mr. López currently serves as the Latino Alumni Chair at Harvard Law School and as President of the Harvard Club of Puerto Rico. He also serves as Co-Chair of the Harvard College Schools and Scholarships Committee in Puerto Rico, in charge of college interviewing. Mr. López recently served on the Steering Committee that successfully brought about the first-ever Latino Alumni Reunion at Harvard Law. He also served on the Advisory Board of the Harvard Latino Law Review, a publication he helped found during his law school tenure. Mr. López sits on the Board of Directors of the Federal Bar Association’s Puerto Rico Chapter, and he has held various leadership roles in the Hispanic National Bar Association. In 2007 he served as Co-Chair of the HNBA’s 32nd Annual Convention.
Cindy Peña, Member of the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino
Cindy Peña has spent more than thirty years in business and community service in Denver. She enjoyed a broadcast career that spanned four decades as she rose through the ranks from college intern to station manager at one of the country’s most successful television stations, the Gannett owned KUSA TV. McGraw-Hill, owner of a competing television station, recognized Ms. Peña’s accomplishments and recruited her to engineer a turnaround at their Denver ABC affiliate, KMGH TV. Ms. Peña’s appointment made her the first Hispanic named to the position of General Manager at a major market network affiliate. In addition, Ms. Peña serves as Chair of El Centro Su Teatro’s Corazon de la Ciudad. In that role, she is leading the Capital Campaign Committee’s efforts in fund raising for a multi-million dollar cultural center to be built in Denver.
Cindy Peña has spent more than thirty years in business and community service in Denver. She enjoyed a broadcast career that spanned four decades as she rose through the ranks from college intern to station manager at one of the country’s most successful television stations, the Gannett owned KUSA TV. McGraw-Hill, owner of a competing television station, recognized Ms. Peña’s accomplishments and recruited her to engineer a turnaround at their Denver ABC affiliate, KMGH TV. Ms. Peña’s appointment made her the first Hispanic named to the position of General Manager at a major market network affiliate. In addition, Ms. Peña serves as Chair of El Centro Su Teatro’s Corazon de la Ciudad. In that role, she is leading the Capital Campaign Committee’s efforts in fund raising for a multi-million dollar cultural center to be built in Denver.
Abigail M. Pollak, Member of the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino
Abigail Pollak began her career working at Estudio Grau Abogados, one of the largest law firms in Peru, in the areas of mining and petroleum. She then returned to school, studying at the University Of Miami School Of Law, where she obtained her L.L.M. in comparative law, and later at Nova Southeastern University, where she was awarded her second law degree. After graduating, Ms. Pollak concentrated in the area of employment and immigration law. Additionally, Ms. Pollak served as a legal consultant for Plural Productions, a Spanish production company working with Univision’s Spanish-language television show "Al Filo de la Ley." Ms. Pollak is involved in fundraising for many charities, including Cancer Schmancer, Mission International Rescue, Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, South Florida Youth Foundation and the Mirabel Foundation.
Abigail Pollak began her career working at Estudio Grau Abogados, one of the largest law firms in Peru, in the areas of mining and petroleum. She then returned to school, studying at the University Of Miami School Of Law, where she obtained her L.L.M. in comparative law, and later at Nova Southeastern University, where she was awarded her second law degree. After graduating, Ms. Pollak concentrated in the area of employment and immigration law. Additionally, Ms. Pollak served as a legal consultant for Plural Productions, a Spanish production company working with Univision’s Spanish-language television show "Al Filo de la Ley." Ms. Pollak is involved in fundraising for many charities, including Cancer Schmancer, Mission International Rescue, Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, South Florida Youth Foundation and the Mirabel Foundation.
Cid Wilson, Member of the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of the American Latino
Cid Wilson serves on the board of directors of LatinoJustice PRLDEF and the National Council of La Raza (NCLR). He is the former national president of the Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR). In addition, he is a "gold life member" of the NAACP and a member of the Latino-Jewish Working Group advisory committee of the American Jewish Committee. In February 2004, he made the cover page of Black Enterprise Magazine for his activism and national leadership. Mr. Wilson is also an accomplished Wall Street financial analyst. He was recognized by Forbes in 2006 as the #1 Wall Street financial analyst in his field and is a founding board member of Dominicans On Wall Street (DOWS). He was also appointed to the board of trustees for Bergen Community College and to Governor Jon Corzine’s Property Tax Policy Reform Transition Committee.
Cid Wilson serves on the board of directors of LatinoJustice PRLDEF and the National Council of La Raza (NCLR). He is the former national president of the Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR). In addition, he is a "gold life member" of the NAACP and a member of the Latino-Jewish Working Group advisory committee of the American Jewish Committee. In February 2004, he made the cover page of Black Enterprise Magazine for his activism and national leadership. Mr. Wilson is also an accomplished Wall Street financial analyst. He was recognized by Forbes in 2006 as the #1 Wall Street financial analyst in his field and is a founding board member of Dominicans On Wall Street (DOWS). He was also appointed to the board of trustees for Bergen Community College and to Governor Jon Corzine’s Property Tax Policy Reform Transition Committee.
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