Ivelisse Porroa-García is on a mission: to serve her clients well and highlight the work and visibility of the group she helms in our nation’s capital. She wears two hats – as a Senior Vice President with Crossroads Strategies, and as president of the Hispanic Lobbying Association (HLA), and both go hand in hand.

Her involvement with HLA started when she was a staffer on Capitol Hill for Rep. Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.), having previously worked with then-Senator Barbara Boxer. While serving as Policy Director of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Porroa-García also served as president of the Congressional Hispanic Staff Association (CHSA), which has partnered with HLA to help mentor congressional staffers interested in learning about government relations, particularly as they move up the career ladder to positions with greater responsibility and influence.

“I started in political campaigns and then later worked in Congress, and now in government relations, and that has allowed me to strengthen my outreach and advise accordingly. Government relations is about helping clients share their stories and goals with elected officials, while advising leaders on how policy and regulatory changes impact their work and long-term strategy,” she tells LATINO Magazine. She doesn't just provide advice, she listens, builds trust, and works behind the scenes to ensure their goals are clearly understood by policymakers.

During her time on Capitol Hill, Porroa-García played a key role in advancing over a dozen pieces of legislation through the House of Representatives, some of which were signed into public law. She also worked extensively on the early drafts of what would later become the PACT Act—landmark legislation to expand healthcare and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances. She spent years helping shape it through policy negotiations, including during the pandemic, when countless Zoom calls with veteran service organizations, fellow staffers, and even comedian Jon Stewart helped move the effort forward. “There were many sleepless nights,” she reflects, “but it was all in service of ensuring veterans received the care and compensation they so deeply earned.”

Porroa-García says she considers it a privilege to do the work she does: “Every time that I go to work, I am very privileged to be able to help our clients. My approach is informed by both personal experiences living in Peru and years studying America’s democracy—from UCLA through my years in Congress--which allows me to think through issues with a perspective that is sometimes overlooked by those raised within the American system itself.”

Porroa-García's impact is deeply felt. She’s helped CEOs prepare for high-level meetings, crafted winning strategies to advance legislation, and built bridges between clients and key Members of Congress in the Tri-Caucus and beyond. Whether advising clients on financial services, renewable energy, or telecommunications, she focuses on getting results.

It’s a difference she says her clients appreciate. “I like to listen to my clients and what they need. I feel very proud of the work that I'm able to do when I contribute something for them that makes it click just because I tried it in a different way. That is already a win in my day,” she says.

From the very beginning of her involvement in HLA, one of her key objectives was to see more people like her doing the work she’s doing.
“Now that I'm in the private sector, why do I see very few Hispanic individuals in government relations? To me, it's important that different sectors, not only government, but also business, are fairly represented. If I can help open the door for someone else to walk through, then it’s all been worth it.”

The HLA was founded in 2006 as a nonprofit group with the mission to advance and empower Latino professionals in government relations and public affairs with mentorship and professional development opportunities. Bringing different perspectives to the table is vitally important to the work HLA members are involved in. Of the thousands lobbyists in Washington, D.C. just a fraction are Latinos, and only a handful of firms are Hispanic-owned.

HLA is working to change that dynamic. Its members work in a variety of professions, which include government relations, in-house counsel, and policy and community relations. One of Porroa-García’s goals as HLA president is to increase membership, currently at 250 – which grew from 170 last year. “Raising membership numbers is a priority, but expanding mentorship is just as important. We have a strong mentorship program that pairs seasoned professionals or less experienced individuals, so they can develop the skillset to be successful,” said Porroa-Garcia.

Another initiative the organization has been especially proud of is the launch of its golf clinics. In partnership with a local golf venue, the program offers members the opportunity to take golf lessons every two to three Fridays. The goal is to help members build confidence in a skill that’s often essential for networking and relationship-building in government relations. Porroa-Garcia adds with a chuckle that she herself is learning to play.

HLA members do not have to be registered lobbyists, and membership is open to “all individuals who self-identify with or are committed to supporting the Hispanic/Latino community and who have professional responsibilities in the field of government relations and/or public affairs.”

One of the other HLA programs that is very popular among members is the Cafecito monthly gatherings with lawmakers. “We bring Members of Congress to have a cafecito with our members. We have a Democrat one month and a Republican the following month, and so forth and so on.” She adds that HLA is looking to create an advisory council this year comprised of past HLA presidents to advise a sitting president and continue communicating with past presidents, “kind of like a kitchen cabinet of advisors.”

Porroa-García became HLA president in January of this year to serve a two-year term, right around the time that the country was transitioning to a new administration, a shift that factors heavily into HLA’s current priorities.

“There’ are always opportunities opening up in our field, and it's important that talented Hispanic professionals receive the support they need to pursue them, such as our newly created job board and resume board, for example. We are a non-partisan association, so we are able to build connections across both parties. When we get to know each other, get to know what we are working on, get to know what positions we are aspiring to get, we create space for mentorship and collaboration among our members.”

Thanks to Porroa-García’s steady leadership, HLA is thriving—growing its programming, expanding partnerships, and helping place more Latino professionals in impactful roles. But she credits the organization’s success to its board members and sponsors: “We’re a team. Everyone contributes something unique, and I learn from them every day.”

The eldest of four siblings, Porroa-Garcia describes herself as a leader from an early age, and in leadership positions going as far back as kindergarten. “I feel it’s like a calling. The oldest daughters of big families will understand. It just comes naturally. It takes up a lot of work. It's not about the title or the recognition. It’s about showing up with intention and care.”

Her family is proud of what she does, which is important to her as an immigrant from Peru. “Some people think that an immigrant can’t go so high or so far, but with God’s help and hard work, one can,” she says.