We're extremely honored to welcome our keynote speaker of the day, Alejandra Y. Castillo, Assistant Secretary for Economic Development Administration. A native of Queens, New Yorker, and daughter of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, Alejandra calls herself the bridge and translator between two nations, two languages, two cultures, and two socio-economic systems. In this discussion, get ready to learn more about the U.S. Economic Development Administration and how the department uses innovation and regional collaboration to prepare American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy.
Diversity Reboot Summit
KEYNOTE: Alejandra Y. Castillo and the U.S. Economic Development Administration
This event has ended. You can watch the recording here.
Virtual
Meet The Speaker
Alejandra Y. Castillo
U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development
Alejandra Y. Castillo was sworn in as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development on August 13, 2021. She has served in leadership positions for three presidents - Biden, Obama and Clinton. Her professional career spans two decades, focusing on creating equitable and inclusive opportunities for all Americans.
Prior to EDA, Castillo was the Chief Executive Officer of YWCA USA, where she championed the 163-year-old organization delivering critical social, educational, and economic development services throughout its 204 associations.
In 2014, Castillo was appointed by President Obama to serve as the national director of the Commerce Department's Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), becoming the first Hispanic woman to lead the agency. During her tenure, she led MBDA's efforts to boost the growth and global competitiveness of minority business enterprises (MBEs). Under her leadership, MBDA expanded its effort to help MBEs gain access to capital, contracts, and business opportunities, assisting MBEs in growing in size and scale.
Castillo first joined the Department of Commerce in 2008 as a Special Advisor to the Under Secretary for the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA). Additionally, Castillo served as a Senior Policy Analyst in the White House during the Clinton Administration.