Education

University of Florida

B.A., Political Science and Economics

2015

Podcasts

0:29:37

19: What It’s Like as a Latino to Work in Communications With Jose Castaneda, ITI [Main T4C Episode]

Jose Castaneda is the Communications Manager for the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI)* the trade association for the high-tech sector -- from hardware to software to services -- representing the most innovative technology brands in the world. In this role, Jose drafts blog posts for ITI’s policy teams and manages..

15:13

108: How to Break Into Tech Communications w/ Jose Castaneda, ITI [Espresso Shots]

Career Path

Interview Highlights

“I went from thinking that I was pretty cool back at home cause I went to Europe once to coming here where people have not only checked off Europe, but they’re now going to more exotic places, they’re vacationing in the Hamptons or Cape Cod or out in Sonoma. And so you just have to understand, not only do you have to catch up on how to be a professional here, but you have to realize and learn the norms.”

Best Career Advice

“There are two types of people in Washington. There’s one that knows people. And there’s another, that knows an issue more as a policy expert. And then he was like, the people that succeed the most here can do both really well.”

Career Challenge

“At the end of the internship, there was going to be one person that got the job. They were six of us vying for it. I ended up not getting it. I didn’t have something lined up afterwards. And so I had moved to Washington on my belief that I could just make it here. And I deferred graduate school for a year. So I found myself then being unemployed. I just didn’t think that would happen. I came up here thinking that I knew these issues and knew how to do this and that really well, and it would just happen.”

Skills

Public Speaking, Leadership, Politics, Research, Political Science, Economics, Public Policy, Social Media, Legislation, Strategic Communication, Community Outreach, Analysis, Microsoft Office, Access, Fundraising

Professional Interests

Satya Nadella, Ian Bremmer, Mark Cuban, IBM, Microsoft, Deloitte, University of Florida Association of Hispanic Alumni (UF – AHA), The Gator Nation, Internet of Things, Harvard Kennedy School, The George Washington University, University of Florida