The Pacific Council is honored to welcome our members to an exclusive fireside chat with Senator Alex Padilla, U.S. Senator for California and Ambassador (ret.) Cynthia A. Telles, Former Ambassador to Costa Rica and Pacific Council Board Director, on Wednesday, October 7 at 6 pm PT. As California's senior senator and one of the most consequential voices in the U.S. Senate, Senator Padilla brings a distinctive perspective to some of the most significant policy debates of our time.

This is a unique opportunity to engage with one of Congress's leading voices on issues at the forefront of U.S. policy. Details on the conversation's agenda will be shared in advance of the event.

Note: registration is now closed. For security purposes, if you are bringing a guest and have not already, please provide their first and last name. If you have any questions, please reach out to events@pacificcouncil.org.

Guest Speaker 

Senator Alex Padilla, a progressive problem-solver, is the first Latino elected to represent California in the U.S. Senate. The son of immigrants, Padilla grew up in the San Fernando Valley and studied Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was drawn to politics in response to California’s anti-immigrant Proposition 187. Padilla was elected to the Los Angeles City Council in 1999 and the State Senate in 2006. As California’s Secretary of State, he oversaw a historic expansion of voting rights and voter participation. As United States Senator, Padilla has taken action to cut costs for families, combat the climate crisis, and help thousands of Californians secure millions of dollars owed to them by federal agencies. Padilla is the Ranking Member of the Senate’s Committee on Rules and Administration. He also serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration. Padilla is a member of the Senate Committees on Budget; Environment and Public Works; Energy and Natural Resources; Judiciary; and Rules. Alex and his wife, Angela, have three sons: Roman, Alex, and Diego.

Presider

Ambassador Cynthia A. Telles (ret.) was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica on January 30, 2022 where she served until January 2025.

Ambassador Telles was previously Clinical Professor of the UCLA School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry at the Neuropsychiatric Institute. She was the Founder and Director of the UCLA Hispanic Neuropsychiatric Center of Excellence, where she was responsible for managing the clinical operations of its model psychiatric and neuropsychology programs and community outreach, as well as training and research. 

Ambassador Telles has served on the corporate Board of Directors of General Motors Co.; Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals; Burlington Northern Santa Fe; SANWA Bank California; and Americas United Bank. 

She has also served on the Board of Directors of the California Community Foundation (Board Chair); The California Endowment (Board Chair); Olympics and Paralympics Committee (LA28); the Pacific Council on International Policy; the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County; LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes; the Public Policy Institute of California; Pitzer College; the National Alliance for Hispanic Health (Board Chair); and Rosalyn Carter's Mental Health Task Force at The Carter Center. 

Ambassador Telles was appointed by President Obama to the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars. She also served as Commissioner of the City of Los Angeles for 20 years, including nine years on the Board of Airport Commissioners (2013 to 2022). Additionally, she was the Vice President of the Board of Library Commissioners; President of the Commission on the Status of Women; Vice President of the City of Los Angeles Ethics Commission; and a member of the Commission on Children, Youth, and Their Families. 

During the Clinton Administration, Ambassador Telles was appointed to the National Advisory Council of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Previously, she served on the advisory group to the Presidential Task Force on Health Care Reform and on the Regional Selection Panel for the White House Fellows Program. 

Throughout her career, Ambassador Telles has received many awards and commendations from organizations and governmental entities across the nation, including the US State and Commerce Departments, the DEA, and the US intelligence community. She was also decorated by the government of Costa Rica with the highest award bestowed upon a foreigner. Ambassador Telles was selected by the Hispanic Business Magazine (2006 and 2008) as one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the Nation. 

Note: registration is now closed. For security purposes, if you are bringing a guest and have not already, please provide their first and last name. If you have any questions, please reach out to events@pacificcouncil.org.