The Honorable Mickey Ibarra, President and Founder
Mickey Ibarra is president of the Ibarra Strategy Group, a government relations and public affairs firm based in Washington, D.C. since 2001. He is also the founder and chairman of the Latino Leaders Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to ‘Bringing Leaders Together” to establish relationships, build unity, and share personal stories. He is a member of the Ibarra Foundation Board of Directors and completed six years of service on the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund Board.
Appointed Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House in 1997, Mr. Ibarra served as a member of President Clinton’s senior staff. His role was building support for the President's policy initiatives and responding to the concerns of state and local officials on a broad range of issues. He was appointed vice chair of The White House Task Force for the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games and was named an honorary mayor for the Para-Olympic Games. Additionally, he co-chaired the White House Task Force on Drug Use in Sports. He began his professional career in Utah as a teacher of at-risk high school students before joining the National Education Association political affairs staff in Washington, DC.
Mickey Ibarra was honored with the prestigious OHTLI Award from the Government of Mexico in 2018. The Latino Spirit Award for Achievement in Public Service was presented to Mr. Ibarra by the California Latino Legislative Caucus in 2016 and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Community Champion Award in 2014. Additionally, he received the inaugural Mickey Ibarra Medallion for Excellence in Government Relations from the U.S. Hispanic Leadership Institute in 2012. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and the University of Utah and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2007.
Mr. Ibarra is an acclaimed speaker and author, publishing his first book in 2015 titled Mickeyisms: 30 Tips for Success. His most recent book, Latino Leaders Speak: Personal Stories of Struggle and Triumph, published by Arte Publico Press, features 33 keynote addresses delivered at the Latino Leaders Luncheon Series since 2004.
Jayna Donayre, Senior Associate
Jayna is a Senior Associate at the Ibarra Strategy Group, where she serves clients’ public affairs and outreach needs on a diverse portfolio of issues including telecommunications, Latino advocacy, education, and social causes. Jayna specializes in digital marketing, communications, strategic alliances, and intergovernmental affairs to develop and execute strategic stakeholder engagement plans that align with non-profit and corporate clients’ policy and business objectives. Prior to joining ISG, Jayna volunteered for Sari Hati, an Indonesia-based NGO focused on fostering a supportive environment for children and adults with special needs, where she coordinated an advocacy campaign at local and international levels. Along with her work abroad, Jayna was a federal affairs fellow for the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) national office, where she worked toward strengthening Latino advocacy and leadership. Jayna graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a degree in Anthropology focused on race, ethnicity, and the politics of difference; and Cultural competence in U.S. biomedicine.
Aurora Simms , Office Associate
Aurora Simms is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy at Antioch University Seattle. Aurora intends to have a focus in Couple Therapy, Sex Therapy, and Racially focused Group Therapy. Aurora hopes to expand her field by conducting more research on underserviced populations, such as women of color and indigenous communities. Aurora attended DePaul University where she obtained an Undergraduate degree in Intercultural Communication. While there she founded an interfaith group on campus and spearheaded many programs related to social justice, diversity, and sexual violence prevention.
