| The People |
| MICHAEL JOSE TORRA is a principal with the Raben Group. He brings a decade of broad policy and communications experience working on Capitol Hill and political campaigns. Through coalition-building and collaboration within Congress and beyond – to advocacy organizations, local government and industry – he has been able to advance various public policy goals across a diverse array of subject areas, including civil rights, education, international affairs, technology and telecommunications.
Prior to joining the Raben Group, Mr. Torra served as chief of staff to U.S. Representative Linda T. Sánchez, where he led the Congresswoman’s staff in advancing her policy, political and constituent service goals. He assisted the Congresswoman in transitioning to her successful role as chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law during the 110th Congress, a leadership role she used to investigate the firing of U.S. attorneys by the Bush Administration, extend the internet tax moratorium and advance reform of arbitration and bankruptcy law.
Mr. Torra’s Capitol Hill experience included serving on the staff of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, where his principal focus was on protecting bilingual education and other programs important to the Latino community in the writing of the No Child Left Behind Act, helping bridge the digital divide, and carving out a role for the Caucus to influence the Senate confirmation of candidates for federal judgeships.
He also worked as senior policy advisor for U.S. Representative Charles A. Gonzalez and legislative director for U.S. Representative Silvestre Reyes, handling education, civil rights, immigration and international affairs, among other issues. Mr. Torra also assisted Congressman Gonzalez in his work for two subcommittees of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and served as an interim communications director. For Congressman Reyes, Mr. Torra also served as the lead staffer coordinating the work of the Hispanic Caucus’ task force on international relations.
In between various positions on Capitol Hill, Mr. Torra worked on congressional races in five election cycles, including Adam Schiff’s successful 2000 campaign to unseat an incumbent in the most expensive House race at that point in U.S. history.
Mr. Torra earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations at Occidental College and a master’s degree in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He is also an abstract and non-representational artist who periodically exhibits his paintings in the Washington area.
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