Emmanuel Caudillo

What initially inspired you to pursue a career in public service or policy, and how did your time at the Trachtenberg School shape that path?

I pursued public service because I saw how educational inequities were affecting my family and community. I saw how lack of resources and support affected their educational journey. I wanted to change that, and I believed (and still believe) that public service would be that route.

Trachtenberg gave me the tools that prepared me for public service. I benefited from a knowledgeable and encouraging community of faculty, staff and my classmates that helped connect my desire to fix educational inequities to a career path where I can make an impact in that space. Their class schedule allowed me to integrate what I learned from my classes into my work. Trachtenberg’s Career Services was incredibly helpful in assisting me to obtain a position at the U.S. Department of Education. For over 17 years, I have been able to work on supporting students and communities in increasing educational equity.

Because of the influential impact it has made in my public service career, whenever I chat with prospective students who are interested in going into public service, I always recommend Trachtenberg.

What does being named a Trachtenberg Alumni Impact Honoree mean to you personally?

I truly value this recognition. 20 years ago, I came to Washington, D.C. to attend the Trachtenberg School. I was a first-generation student and lived across the country from my family. I came to Trachtenberg with an idea of what I wanted to do, but I wasn’t sure how to achieve it. Their guidance and support enabled me to get my start in public service. I am and still incredibly thankful for this graduate school experience. Because of my time at Trachtenberg, it allowed me to have the skills to be successful in the U.S. Department of Education through my various roles. It also has allowed me to support students and families especially in the Hispanic community for nearly two decades. To have my work highlighted by Trachtenberg as an Alumni Impact Honoree, I am grateful.

What does leadership mean to you?

There are many aspects to leadership. For me, it’s two. It’s adaptability and building the next generation of leaders.

As a career public servant, adaptability will be part of the career especially if one works under different administrations. Policies and personnel change. Even in the current environment, where federal agencies lost a massive amount of talented experts, adaptability is critical. For me, I was moved to a new position recently to handle responsibilities that were left unfilled due to the talent loss. But that’s leadership. Leadership is navigating through change (whether it was planned or unplanned) and using your skills and experience to still move the mission forward.

In building the next set of leaders, that is crucial. I enjoyed working with interns when I was with the White House Hispanic Initiative. For many, this was their first experience in a federal policy setting. I’m a believer that lived-experience plus policy knowledge and experience makes for an effective public servant. Leaders need to train and provide opportunities for junior level staff and interns to gain hands-on experience. They also must provide grace in case they fall short on a project. As a Hispanic leader, more must be done to ensure we are raising the next set of policy leaders that look like the community and nation that they serve and for us in leadership positions, that responsibility falls onto us.

What accomplishment or project are you most proud of, and what impact did it have on your work and career?

The accomplishment I am most proud of was playing a significant role in drafting executive orders that authorized the White House Hispanic Initiative for two different presidential administrations (Executive Order 13935 and Executive Order 14045). I was given the opportunity to share about policies and priorities affecting the Hispanic community with senior administration leaders in the White House. In addition to meeting with leaders serving the Hispanic community nationwide, I also was able to share my observations and lived experiences. In addition, I was able to share my thoughts on the structure of the office including how the President’s Hispanic Advisory Commission would be shaped and how it would engage with other federal agencies.

In developing the draft, I looked back at what worked and how it can be enhanced. In both instances, I was able to see the results of both executive orders and how it shaped the White House Hispanic Initiative’s work. I learned how to integrate the needs and the best practices serving the Hispanic community with the policy priorities of each administration. The most significant influence was seeing in real-time how my voice matters. That my voice has influence and taking advantage of the opportunity to make it heard while also honoring the community that I was serving.

 What advice would you give Trachtenberg students and alumni who want to make a meaningful impact?

Don’t let career detours disappoint you. Sometimes one may have a career plan and when things go astray, they may blame themselves or feel like they disappointed themselves or others. Instead look at the opportunities that come forth in this pivot. You may find that you still would make an impact but in another way.

When I became a budget analyst, it wasn’t what I was originally the position I was aiming for, but I was grateful for the opportunity to have a career at the U.S. Department of Education. Then, a major legislation was passed by Congress that directly impacted my budget account. Here, I saw an opportunity to make a meaningful impact since I would have to know the major contracts and services that would need to be budgeted to ensure a successful implementation. In addition, I saw how this would affect college affordability in a new way. This motivated me to ensure that I would have strong budgetary explanations and evidence for my account’s congressional justifications and account for each transaction in my account’s appropriations.

No matter what pivots or detours that may occur in one’s career, look for those opportunities to make an impact and let it guide you as you progress. Excel in those opportunities and use the results to guide you to your next step in your career.