Ana Cruz
{{short description|American lobbyist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Ana Cruz
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| citizenship = American
| education =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Lobbyist
| known_for =
}}
Ana Cruz is an American lobbyist at Ballard Partners in Tampa, Florida.{{cite web|url=https://www.tampabay.com/tampa/jane-castor-might-be-tampas-next-mayor-her-partner-ana-cruz-is-a-lobbyist-does-it-matter-20190415/|title=Jane Castor might be Tampa's next mayor. Her partner, Ana Cruz, is a lobbyist. Does it matter?|website=www.tampabay.com|accessdate=10 October 2021}} She was the first Hispanic executive director of the Florida Democratic Party and was a spokesperson for Hillary Clinton’s presidential pampaigns in 2008 and 2016.{{cite web|url=https://projects.tampabay.com/projects/2016/politics/hillary-clintons-florida-foundation/|title=Hillary Clinton's Florida Foundation |website=www.projects.tampabay.com|accessdate=10 October 2021}} Cruz is known as “Tampa’s First Lady”, partner of Tampa Mayor, Jane Castor.{{cite magazine |last=Warner|first=David |date= 2019|title= See You At The Riverwalk|url=https://5abe1488a536b7d66554-40ebbf4e472cfd77f5021bc42c60f8a3.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/wer2r31kkhfluqsh34d03oxig714cm-optimized-pub.pdf|magazine= Visit Tampa Gay |location= Tampa, Florida |publisher= James Howard|archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=}}
Lobbying career
Cruz is a managing partner at Ballard Partners, Florida's largest lobbying firm.{{cite web|url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/2020/08/16/here-are-the-top-5-money-making-lobbying-firms-in-florida/|title=Here are the Top 5 money-making lobbying firms in Florida|website=www.tampabay.com|accessdate=10 October 2021}} As a lobbyist, she has sought to build coalitions between government and businesses, professional sports teams, hospitals and technology companies.{{cite web|url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/330368-when-a-community-looks-for-help-in-a-pandemic-and-knows-where-to-find-it/|title=When a community looks for help in a pandemic, and knows where to find it|website=www.floridapolitics.com|date=30 April 2020 |accessdate=10 October 2021}} Cruz worked to attract technology startups to Tampa.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/shamahyder/2021/02/17/why-startups-are-leaving-silicon-valley-for-tampa-an-interview-with-tampas-first-lady-ana-cruz/?sh=21f92d8587a3|title=Why Startups Are Leaving Silicon Valley For Tampa: An Interview With Tampa's First Lady Ana Cruz|website=www.forbes.com|accessdate=10 October 2021}} She lobbied for Verizon’s integration of their FTTP technology in Tampa and Hillsborough County in 2006{{cite web|url=https://www.verizon.com/about/news/press-releases/verizon-granted-authority-offer-fios-tv-735000-residents-hillsborough-county-fla-and-launches-service-manatee-county-fla|title=Verizon Is Granted Authority to Offer FiOS TV to 735,000 Residents of Hillsborough County, Fla., and Launches the Service in Manatee County, Fla.|website=www.verizon.com|date=February 2006 |accessdate=10 October 2021}} and for Uber ride-sharing to be permitted in the Tampa area and securing federal funding for 'Connected Vehicles' in Tampa.{{cite web|url=https://floridapolitics.com/archives/190242-tampa-expressway-authority-awarded-first-phase-of-funding-for-connected-vehicle-pilot-program/|title=Tampa Expressway Authority awarded first phase of funding for connected vehicle pilot program|website=www.floridapolitics.com|date=14 September 2015 |accessdate=10 October 2021}} Cruz is assigned by her firm to direct government affairs in Washington D.C. where she worked with the Biden administration on implementing progressive policies.{{cite web|url=https://tampa.cbslocal.com/2021/01/22/tampas-first-lady-reacts-to-new-presidential-administration-and-her-expanding-role-in-national-policy-6/|title=Tampa's First Lady Reacts To New Presidential Administration And Her Expanding Role In National Policy|website=www.tampa.cbslocal.com|accessdate=10 October 2021}}
Political career
Cruz managed her first campaign and worked various staff positions for Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Senator Bill Nelson.{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93805917|title=Anna Cruz: Representing A Target Demographic|website=www.npr.org|date=24 August 2008 |accessdate=10 October 2021|last1=O'Brien |first1=Bobby }} Cruz was the executive director of the Florida Democratic Party for two years, the youngest person and first Hispanic person in the role. Cruz was a Hillary Clinton campaign spokesperson in 2008 and 2016, and a Joe Biden campaign advisor in 2020, on the DNC’s convention platform committee as a representative for Joe Biden.{{cite web|url=https://floridatrend500.com/professional-services/ana-cruz/|title=Anna Cruz, Managing Partner, Ballard Partners, Tampa|website=www.floridatrend500.com|accessdate=10 October 2021}}
Committees and awards
Cruz is on the board of the Greater Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, the Athena Society, the 51st Super Bowl committee. Cruz was included in "Florida's Top 100 Most Influential" by Florida Politics Magazine in 2020 and 2021.{{cite web|url=https://ballardpartners.com/the-team/ana-cruz/|title=Ana Cruz|website=www.ballardpartners.com|accessdate=10 October 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruz, Ana}}
Category:LGBTQ people from Florida