The Honorable Mickey Ibarra

Mickey Ibarra is president of the Ibarra Strategy Group, a government relations and public affairs firm based in Washington, D.C. since 2001. He is also the founder and chairman of the Latino Leaders Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to ‘Bringing Leaders Together” to establish relationships, build unity, and share personal stories.  He is a member of the Ibarra Foundation Board of Directors and completed six years of service on the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund Board. 
 
Appointed Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House in 1997, Mr. Ibarra served as a member of President Clinton’s senior staff. His role was building support for the President's policy initiatives and responding to the concerns of state and local officials on a broad range of issues. He was appointed vice chair of The White House Task Force for the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games and was named an honorary mayor for the Para-Olympic Games. Additionally, he co-chaired the White House Task Force on Drug Use in Sports. He began his professional career in Utah as a teacher of at-risk high school students before joining the National Education Association political affairs staff in Washington, DC.

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Mickey Ibarra was honored with the prestigious OHTLI Award from the Government of Mexico in 2018. The Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Public Service was presented to Mr. Ibarra by the California Latino Legislative Caucus in 2016 and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Community Champion Award in 2014. Additionally, he received the inaugural Mickey Ibarra Medallion for Excellence in Government Relations from the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute in 2012. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and the University of Utah and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2007. 

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Mr. Ibarra is an acclaimed speaker and author, publishing his first book in 2015 titled Mickeyisms: 30 Tips for Success. His most recent book, Latino Leaders Speak: Personal Stories of Struggle and Triumph, published by Arte Publico Press, features 33 keynote addresses delivered at the Latino Leaders Luncheon Series since 2004.