Research Associate
Center for American Progress
Jorge Madrid is a research associate for the Energy Policy Team, assisting Van Jones in spearheading the Green Opportunity Initiative. Prior to joining American Progress, Jorge worked as a legislative fellow in the office of Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), where he assisted with energy, technology, environmental, and transportation policy. While in the Senate, Jorge worked closely with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Task Force on Climate Change and the Green Economy, where he collaborated with legislators and stakeholder groups to develop national policy priorities and a strategic plan to include Latinos and underrepresented communities in the economic potential of the green economy.
As a graduate student, Jorge worked in the office of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, providing research assistance and policy recommendations for the creation of a clean technology business cluster for the city, as well as job creation and antipoverty measures. In addition, he served as a consultant for the Los Angeles Infrastructure Academy, a nonprofit organization focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, or STEM, education, and green jobs training for inner-city youth. Jorge also served on the board of advisors for East Los Angeles Community College, in their green pathways program.
Jorge completed a dual master’s degree program in urban planning and public administration at the University of Southern California. His research and core degree concentrations were urban economic development and environmental sustainability. While at USC, Jorge participated in an international consulting project through the U.N.-Habitat program, creating sustainable development recommendations for the Favela-Barrio project in Rio De Janiero, Brazil. Jorge received undergraduate degrees in history and Latin America studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Executive Director
LCLAA- Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
For more than ten years, Sanchez has promoted the rights of working Latino families. Through research, writing, advocacy and media appearances Sanchez has become an indefatigable voice in highlighting systematic injustices against Latinos in their workplaces and their communities. Directing community education and civic engagement programs, Sanchez has led the call for Latino participation in the 2010 Census and in the electoral process beyond Presidential elections to ensure that the growth of the Latino community is also reflected in adequate resources and political power. Prior to his appointment to LCLAA’s Executive Director, Sanchez served as Director of Policy and Research at LCLAA.
Before joining LCLAA’s staff, Sanchez was the DC-Mexico Policy Education Director at Global Exchange and he served as the Policy and Community Liaison for the Education Trust. He was also a professor of US-Mexico Relations at the Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez. Sanchez’s opinions and letters have been published by NPR, The Washington Post, The Economist, Huffington Post, Common Dreams, Open Left and several Spanish-language media outlets. He frequently debates Latino issues on TV outlets such as CNN, ABC, Univision, Telemundo and Telesur, among others. He holds a Bachelors and Masters degree in Political Science from the University of Texas.
