Maria Echaveste was born in Texas and raised in California. She is one of seven children of migrant farm worker parents. She is a Hispanic Jew, runs marathons, and gardens.

Professional background:

* Senior Adviser, Presidential Campaign for Howard Dean (2003) * Lobbyist, United Farm Workers (2002) * Member, Executive committee of the Democratic National Committee(2001) * Founder, Nueva Vista, a consulting firm dealing with public policy and Latino advocacy group (2000) * Deputy Chief of Staff for President Clinton. She managed policy initiatives and developed legislative and communications strategies regarding various policy issues including immigration, education, civil rights, bankruptcy, trade, Plan Colombia, Latin America, New Markets and more. Also worked on coordinating federal disaster relief, for both foreign and domestic disasters. (1998-2000) * Assistant to the President and Director of Public Liasion (1997-98) * Administrator, the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, where she was instrumental in the U.S. Labor Department s anti-sweatshop campaign (1993-1997) * Deputy director of personnel during the Clinton transition (1993) * National Latino coordinator for Clinton campaign (1992) * Lawyer, Rosenman & Colin in New York City (1980-92)

Education:

* Bachelor s degree in anthropology from Stanford University, 1976 * J.D. from Berkeley School of Law, 1980

Member of the following boards of directors:

* People for the American Way * National Immigration Forum * American Constitution Society * Mexico Institute

Partial list of awards:

* National Hispana Leadership Institute award, 2003 * Dialogue on Diversity Leadership Award in recognition of her work in broadening opportunities for women and other minority entrepreneurs, 2002 * University of California Excellence in Achievement Award, 2002 * Outstanding Latina Leader in Government by Latina Magazine, 1999 * Innovations in Government award, sponsored by the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and the Ford Foundation for her Anti-Sweatshop campaign, 1996

Partial list of consulting clients:

* AOL Time Warner * Rockefeller Foundation * United Farm Workers Union (AFL-CIO)

Quotations:

"The key to making the most of the opportunities and chances one gets through life is having the best education possible. That sounds kind of trite, and many people hear it all the time, but I certainly believe that the terrific education I received allowed me to take advantage of the choices when opportunity presented itself." From, Interview, Horizons Magazine, 2000

Nominating Speech:

Nominated by: Progressive Government Institute

Support true academic standards and reject punitive standardized testing that deprives schools of funding solely because of low test scores;

Support not penalize school districts that need extra help because they have many poor, minority or immigrant students;

Work to restore public education as an effective vehicle for social mobility, as it has been for so much of our country's history;

Open up many routes to higher education;

Improve teacher pay, dignity and respect;

Reject voucher systems and other privatization schemes;

Protect our students from commercial influences and marketing in their schools;

Understand that in addition to training for good jobs, the public education system must educate responsible, engaged citizens.