Worldwide Comadrazo & 21st Anniversary Celebration
The Honorable Nellie M. Gorbea
Comadre and Rhode Island Secretary of State
“One of our Beacons”
March 17, 2021, Austin, TX – Las Comadres Para Las Americas announced the Keynote Speaker for its Worldwide Comadrazo and 21st Anniversary Celebration on April 17 — The Honorable Nellie M. Gorbea, Rhode Island Secretary of State.
“I am honored,” said Secretary Gorbea, to be a member of Las Comadres for over ten years.
She is in her second term of office, where she made history when she was sworn in on January 6, 2015, becoming the first Hispanic elected to statewide office in New England. Since then, Gorbea has rapidly emerged on the national scene as a leader who is taking on some of the toughest issues and getting results, leading the way for other states across the country.
“A high visibility state-level elected official who is a Latina is something we must support and celebrate,” states Nora de Hoyos Comstock, National / International Founder of Las Comadres. “We need many more of you to step up to the challenge. We must have candidates for every level of local, state, and national government. If we are not running for office, we can’t be elected! However, you can also seek an appointed position. We will have a Latinx president in the near future. The Honorable Nellie Gorbea is one of our beacons.”
Secretary Gorbea was re-elected in 2018 to serve Rhode Island for a second term and continue making government work for people. Over the past four and a half years, she has modernized Rhode Island’s elections infrastructure, increased cybersecurity measures and brought both online and automated voter registration to the state. She has been dedicated to encouraging civic participation and pride among Rhode Islanders. Additionally, she instituted comprehensive lobby reform and is streamlining processes to make it easier for people and businesses to navigate state government. Rhode Island is now recognized as a national leader in many of these areas.
In recognition of her extraordinary leadership and achievements, Gorbea is a 2018 Honoree for Governing Institute’s Women in Government Leadership Program. She serves as the Eastern Region Vice President of the National Association of Secretaries of States, and Treasurer of the Democratic Association of Secretaries of States. In 2016, she was Vice Chair for the Democratic National Convention Platform Committee, an Aspen Rodel Fellow and a Hunt Kean Fellow.
Originally from Puerto Rico, Secretary Gorbea is a graduate of Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs and holds a master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University. She and her husband, oceanographer Steve D’Hondt, and their three daughters live in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
Visit Secretary Gorbea’s website here: https://nelliegorbea.com/.
For the full press release announcement, download the PDF here: PRESS RELEASE— Keynote Speaker March 17, 2021