Member Biographies

Rep. Johanna López (FL-D43) representes parts of East Orlando, in the Florida House of Representatives. In the legislature, she successfully co-led bipartisan efforts to expand access to high school diplomas and educational opportunities for K-12 students, and introduced legislation to increase retirement benefits in line with cost-of-living adjustments, among others.

Assemblywoman Lopez currently serves as Chair of the Housing Committee and member of the Transportation and Independent Authorities and Financial Institutions and Insurance committees respectively. Assemblywoman Lopez also serves as Deputy Speaker and is a member of the New Jersey Legislative Latino Caucus.

Rep. Javier Mabrey (CO-D1) is the Vice Chair of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators's Housing Task Force. He has represented Colorado's D-1 since 2022.

State Representative Pedro "Pete" Marin is the Dean of Gwinnett, Georgia legislators having served in public office for almost two decades. He served in NHCSL's Executive Committee from 2006 to 2019, including serving as NHCSL's Vice President for Public Policy from 2014 to early 2018.

Del. Ashanti Martinez represents District 22 in the Maryland House of Delegates, where he is on the Health and Government Operations Committee and is a member of the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, Legislative Black Caucus, and Legislative Latino Caucus. He also serves as Vice Chair of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislator's Law and Criminal Justice Task Force.

Rep. Angel Matos was elected to the Puerto Rico House of Representatives in 2012, and represents District 40, which encompasses most of the city of Carolina. He is also the Majority Speaker, and currently serves as NHCSL's Treasurer.

Lt. Gov. Howie Morales became New Mexico's 30th Lieutenant Governor in November 2018 alongside Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. He currently serves in NHCSL's Executive Committee representing the West Region.

Sen. Nitza Morán works for equality for all the Americans that she represents in the Senate of Puerto Rico. She's also NHCSL's Business, Economic Development, International Relations and Trade Task Force's Vice-Chair.

Representative Victoria Neave (TX-107) is NHCSL's Vice President for Membership. She was named "Freshman of the Year" by the Texas House Democratic Caucus in 2018 and "Legislator of the Year” by the State Bar of Texas Hispanic Issues Section in 2019. She runs her own law firm, Neave Law PC, where she represents individuals and businesses in civil litigation and employment law.

Representative Lillian Ortiz-Self (WA-21) is the Secretary of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, and previously served as West Region Chair. She has represented the 21st Legislative District since 2013, and is a member of the Washington House leadership team, serving as Majority Caucus chair.

Rep. Veronica Paiz is Michigan State Representative for House District 11. She currently serves in NHCSL Executive Committee.

Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk (MD-21) served as the East Region Chair of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators between 2021 and 2023. Prior to this role, she served as Chair of NHCSL's Law and Criminal Justice Task Force and as a member of the NHCSL Executive Committee. In 2018, Delegate Peña-Melnyk was awarded the NHCSL John S. Martínez Legislator of the Year Award for her work in the Maryland State Legislature and for tackling some of NHCSL's most complex resolutions in many years, including cannabis and gun policy, by building consensus support for innovative policies.

Senator Nellie Pou (NJ-35) is the Immediate Past President of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators. Her two-year term as President began at the end of 2021. Prior to her election as President-Elect on December 5, 2019, she served as NHCSL's East Region Chair. Sen. Pou has served in the New Jersey State Legislature since 1997 and Sen. Pou has chaired the New Jersey Legislative Latino Caucus since 2006.

As a first generation college graduate, Rep. Marcelino Quiñonez (AZ-11), the Minority Whip, has dedicated his career to providing opportunities to the community through his various servant leadership roles. He currently serves as NHCSL's West Region Chair.

Rep. Geraldo Reyes Jr. has represented the 75th Assembly District of Waterbury in the Connecticut House of Representatives since 2016.

Sen. Carmelo J. Ríos-Santiago served as President of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators. In early 2018, he was elected President of NHCSL after having served as Vice-President for Membership, Parliamentarian and Vice-President. Senator Ríos-Santiago has served in the Puerto Rico Senate since 2005 and is the current Senate Majority Leader.

Senator Teresa Ruiz was the first Puerto Rican elected to the New Jersey Senate where she currently serves as Majority Leader.

Representative Patricia Roybal Caballero (NM-13) served as Treasurer of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators during the 2021-2023 period. Rep. Roybal Caballero has served in the New Mexico State Legislature since 2013. Rep. Roybal Caballero previously served as National Treasurer of LULAC (2015-2018), the oldest Latino civil rights organization in the U.S., founded in 1929.