Cecilia Muñoz

{{short description|American political advisor}}{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2020}}{{Use American English|date=November 2020}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Cecilia Muñoz

|image = Cecilia Munoz.jpg

|office = Director of the Domestic Policy Council

|president = Barack Obama

|deputy = James Kvaal

|term_start = January 10, 2012

|term_end = January 20, 2017

|predecessor = Melody Barnes

|successor = Andrew Bremberg

|office1 = Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

|president1 = Barack Obama

|term_start1 = January 20, 2009

|term_end1 = January 10, 2012

|predecessor1 = Janet Creighton

|successor1 = David Agnew

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|7|27}}

|birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Democratic

|spouse = Amit Pandya

|education = University of Michigan (BA)
University of California, Berkeley (MA)

}}

Cecilia Muñoz (born July 27, 1962) is an American political advisor who served as Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council under President Obama, a position she held for five years. Prior to that, she served as the White House Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for three years.

Before working for the White House, she was Senior Vice President for the Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest Latino advocacy organization in the United States.{{cite press release

|url=http://change.gov/newsroom/entry/president_elect_barack_obama_names_two_new_white_house_staff_members/

|title=President-Elect Barack Obama names two new White House staff members

|access-date=November 26, 2008

|date=26 November 2008

|website=Office of the President-elect

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126223846/http://change.gov/newsroom/entry/president_elect_barack_obama_names_two_new_white_house_staff_members/

|archive-date=26 January 2009

}} At NCLR, she supervised all legislative and advocacy activities conducted by NCLR policy staff. She was also the Chair of the Board of the Center for Community Change and served on the U.S. Programs Board of the Open Society Institute and on the boards of directors of the Atlantic Philanthropies and the National Immigration Forum. In 2000, she was named a MacArthur Fellow for her work on civil rights and immigration.{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/administration/eop/dpc/about/dpc-director|title=Director of Domestic Policy Council, Cecilia Muñoz|access-date=August 12, 2016|archive-date=January 21, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121000625/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/administration/eop/dpc/about/dpc-director|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|url-status=live}}

She was featured in several episodes of the documentary series How Democracy Works Now: Twelve Stories, and she contributed a chapter to West Wingers: Stories from the Dream Chasers, Change Makers, and Hope Creators Inside the Obama White House discussing her experiences in the Obama White House.{{Cite book|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/572629/west-wingers-by-edited-by-gautam-raghavan/9780143133292/|title=West Wingers {{!}} PenguinRandomHouse.com|language=en-US|access-date=June 5, 2018|archive-date=July 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711191159/https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/572629/west-wingers-by-edited-by-gautam-raghavan/9780143133292/|url-status=live}}

Early life and education

Muñoz was born in Detroit, Michigan{{cite web|last=Notable Hispanic American Women|title=Cecilia Muñoz|work=Hispanic Heritage|publisher=Gale Biography Resource Center|year=1999|url=http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_resources/chh/bio/munoz_c.htm|format=Website|access-date=November 26, 2008|archive-date=September 24, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924113006/http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_resources/chh/bio/munoz_c.htm|url-status=live}} the youngest of four children. Her parents had moved to the United States from La Paz, Bolivia,{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/obama-immigration-vet-cecilia-munoz-the-choices-are-all-terrible|title=Obama Immigration Vet Cecilia Munoz: 'The Choices Are All Terrible'|last=Clift|first=Eleanor|date=2018-06-22|work=The Daily Beast|access-date=2018-11-13|language=en|archive-date=November 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109035818/https://www.thedailybeast.com/obama-immigration-vet-cecilia-munoz-the-choices-are-all-terrible|url-status=live}} so that her father, an automotive engineer, could attend the University of Michigan. When she was three, the family moved to Livonia, Michigan, a Detroit suburb. Muñoz attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.{{Cite news|url=https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2017/04/university_of_michigans_bright.html|title=University of Michigan's star alums share stage during True Blue!|work=MLive.com|access-date=2018-11-13|language=en-US|archive-date=November 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113210406/https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/index.ssf/2017/04/university_of_michigans_bright.html|url-status=live}} As a volunteer, she tutored Hispanic American inmates at the state prison in nearby Jackson, Michigan. She earned undergraduate degrees in English and Latin American studies in 1984. Following graduation, Muñoz continued her education at the University of California at Berkeley, where she earned a master's degree, also in Latin American studies.{{Cite news|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/author/cecilia-mu%C3%B1oz|title=Cecilia Muñoz|date=2011-08-17|access-date=2018-11-13|language=en|archive-date=November 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113165709/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/author/cecilia-mu%C3%B1oz|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|url-status=live}}

Career

As Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Muñoz was the Obama Administration's main liaison with state, local and tribal governments, including the Big Seven organizations that represent most state and local officials, including the Council of State Governments, the National Governors Association and the National Conference of State Legislatures. She co-chaired the White House Task Force on Puerto Rico's Political Status, where her work prompted several politicians from both sides to celebrate her designation as head of the Domestic Policy Council.{{cite web |url=http://www.elnuevodia.com/laresponsabledelosasuntosboricuasenlacasablancaesascendida-1162910.html |title=Home - El Nuevo Día |publisher=Elnuevodia.com |access-date=2014-01-22 |archive-date=January 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121085916/http://www.elnuevodia.com/laresponsabledelosasuntosboricuasenlacasablancaesascendida-1162910.html |url-status=live }}

She was featured in the documentary film Last Best Chance,{{cite web|url=http://www.howdemocracyworksnow.com/story/last-best-chance|title=Twelve Stories: How Democracy Works Now | Story | The Senators' Bargain | Last Best Chance|publisher=How Democracy Works Now|access-date=2014-01-22|archive-date=April 3, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110403082300/http://www.howdemocracyworksnow.com//story//last-best-chance|url-status=live}} story twelve of the series How Democracy Works Now, from filmmakers Shari Robertson and Michael Camerini. A cut of the film premiered on HBO in March 2010, under the title The Senator's Bargain.{{cite web|url=http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/the-senators-bargain/index.html|title=The Senators Bargain: Home|publisher=HBO|access-date=2014-01-22|archive-date=March 1, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110301160133/http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/the-senators-bargain/index.html|url-status=live}}

Muñoz appeared in Mountains and Clouds,{{cite web|url=http://www.howdemocracyworksnow.com/story/mountains-and-clouds|title=Twelve Stories: How Democracy Works Now | Story | Mountains and Clouds|publisher=How Democracy Works Now|access-date=2014-01-22|archive-date=July 12, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712224207/http://www.howdemocracyworksnow.com/story/mountains-and-clouds|url-status=live}} story two in the series How Democracy Works Now, where she and Frank Sharry discuss being at a potential "watershed moment" for comprehensive immigration reform, in 2001. Additionally, she was featured in Ain't the AFL for Nothin',{{cite web|url=http://www.howdemocracyworksnow.com/story/aint-the-afl-for-nothin|title=Twelve Stories: How Democracy Works Now | Story | Ain't the AFL for Nothin'|publisher=How Democracy Works Now|access-date=2014-01-22}} story seven in the series where she is shown working on a proposal for immigration, in 2003.

In 2020, Muñoz authored More than Ready, an autobiography about her life and tenure in the White House.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/cecilia-mu-oz-obama-s-history-making-adviser-tackles-doubts-n1177721|title=Cecilia Muñoz, Obama's history-making adviser, tackles doubts, doubters in 'More Than Ready'|date=2020-04-07|website=NBC News|access-date=2020-04-08|archive-date=April 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409081837/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/cecilia-mu-oz-obama-s-history-making-adviser-tackles-doubts-n1177721|url-status=live}}{{Cite book|url=https://www.sealpress.com/titles/cecilia-munoz/more-than-ready/9781549184857/|title=More than Ready|date=2019-09-24|isbn=9781549184857 |language=en-US|access-date=April 14, 2020|archive-date=April 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200412230904/https://www.sealpress.com/titles/cecilia-munoz/more-than-ready/9781549184857/|url-status=live}}

Muñoz works at New America, a think tank based in Washington, D.C.{{cite web | title=Cecilia Muñoz | website=New America | url=https://www.newamerica.org/our-people/cecilia-mu%C3%B1oz/ | access-date=2020-04-08 | archive-date=April 11, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411111922/https://www.newamerica.org/our-people/cecilia-mu%C3%B1oz/ | url-status=live }}

In November 2020, Muñoz was announced as a member of Joe Biden's transition staff.{{Cite news|last1=Fox|first1=Ben|last2=Spagat|first2=Elliott|date=2020-11-11|title=Some big, early shifts on immigration expected under Biden|publisher=Associated Press|url=https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-immigration-2c47c4e0f429476e991a1aff67cbb90b|url-status=live|access-date=2020-11-14|archive-date=November 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201114073319/https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-virus-outbreak-immigration-2c47c4e0f429476e991a1aff67cbb90b}}

Personal life

Muñoz married attorney Amit Anant Pandya in September 1991. He is a human rights lawyer. They have two daughters, Meera and Cristina.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-immigration-advisor-cecilia-munoz-taking-the-heat-for-obama-on-immigration/2014/09/08/1939154a-3439-11e4-9e92-0899b306bbea_story.html|title=White House immigration adviser Cecilia Muñoz is taking the heat for Obama|last=Nakamura|first=David|date=2014-09-08|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=2018-11-13|archive-date=January 31, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131040341/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-immigration-advisor-cecilia-munoz-taking-the-heat-for-obama-on-immigration/2014/09/08/1939154a-3439-11e4-9e92-0899b306bbea_story.html|url-status=live}}