CUBA STANDARD — The Center for Democracy in the Americas (CDA) appointed a new executive director.
María José Espinosa rose from deputy director to the top post in the Washington-based advocacy group, succeeding Jorge Quintana.
CDA has organized fact-finding trips to Cuba for U.S. Congresspeople and advocates for pro-engagement U.S. Cuba policies. Emily Mendrala, a CDA executive director until 2021, currently serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary in the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, covering Cuba and regional migration.
Espinosa has worked for CDA since 2016, and brings 12 years experience as a policy analyst and organizer of fact-finding trips to Cuba, Central America, and the U.S.-Mexico border.
