Alejandra Y. Castillo
Council on Foreign Relations · Quantum Global Advisors

Three decades at the intersection of
power, place, and possibility.

Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce — Senate-confirmed, unanimously. $6.8 billion deployed across three presidential administrations. Now leading Quantum Global Advisors and advising the next generation of institutions.

$6.8B
Federal Investment
Deployed
16×
EDA Budget
Expansion
200K+
Jobs
Secured
3
Presidential
Administrations
First Woman of Color · U.S. Asst. Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development·Senate-Confirmed, Unanimously·Council on Foreign Relations Member·CEO, Quantum Global Advisors·Harvard Kennedy School Resident Fellow·Purdue University Northwest — Chancellor's Senior Fellow·EDA Reauthorized for First Time in 20+ Years·First Nonprofit ETF on NYSE — WOMN·LBJ School 2025 Commencement Speaker — "Architect of Change"·Summit of the Americas U.S. Representative·Tech Hubs · Good Jobs Challenge · Build Back Better · Recompete·CFR Nuclear Security Forum Moderator·IEDC Op-Ed: "What Big Tech Owes Communities Like Ours"·AI · Quantum · Advanced Manufacturing · National Security·Three Presidential Administrations · Clinton · Obama · Biden     First Woman of Color · U.S. Asst. Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development·Senate-Confirmed, Unanimously·Council on Foreign Relations Member·CEO, Quantum Global Advisors·Harvard Kennedy School Resident Fellow·Purdue University Northwest — Chancellor's Senior Fellow·EDA Reauthorized for First Time in 20+ Years·First Nonprofit ETF on NYSE — WOMN·LBJ School 2025 Commencement Speaker — "Architect of Change"·Summit of the Americas U.S. Representative·Tech Hubs · Good Jobs Challenge · Build Back Better · Recompete·CFR Nuclear Security Forum Moderator·IEDC Op-Ed: "What Big Tech Owes Communities Like Ours"·AI · Quantum · Advanced Manufacturing · National Security·Three Presidential Administrations · Clinton · Obama · Biden    
Who She Is

A practitioner, not just
an observer.

Alejandra Y. Castillo is a public policy architect, strategist, and CEO whose career spans the highest levels of federal economic power, international affairs, and emerging technology. As the first woman of color to serve as U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development — Senate-confirmed, unanimously — she engineered a 16-fold expansion of the EDA's budget and secured $6.8 billion in investment that reached communities from Appalachia to the Southwest border.

$6.8B
Federal investment deployed — a 16× expansion of EDA's historic budget
American Rescue Plan · CHIPS Act · Build Back Better
CFR
Council on Foreign Relations member — moderated nuclear security forums
By invitation. One of America's most selective foreign policy bodies.
WOMN
First nonprofit ETF listed on the New York Stock Exchange
Launched as CEO of YWCA USA. An institutional first in American finance.
QGA
CEO, Quantum Global Advisors — available for strategic engagements
Advisory · Board Roles · Keynotes · Policy Counsel
The Origin Story

The Bodega School of Economics

Alejandra Y. Castillo's understanding of economics didn't begin in a classroom. It began at 4:00 a.m. in her father's bodega in the Bronx — where she absorbed a lived education in margins, resilience, and what it takes to make a community work. That instinct became the foundation of a thirty-year career directing $6.8 billion in federal investment, finding the seeds of innovation in places like Tulsa and New Hampshire that Washington had long overlooked.

"The drivers of economic growth must be the community."
Alejandra Y. Castillo — Harvard Political Review
How to Engage

Three Ways to Work
with Alejandra

01
Speaker

Keynotes on AI, quantum, economic development, and national security for Fortune 500 boards, government agencies, and international forums. Fee: $15K–$30K+.

02
Advisor

Strategic advisory through Quantum Global Advisors — for companies, governments, and institutions navigating the technology-policy intersection. Board roles available.

03
Scholar

Chancellor's Senior Fellow at Purdue University Northwest, leading the Roberts Impact Lab. Harvard Kennedy School Fellow. Prolific policy writer and thought leader.

Her Framework

Two ideas that define
her approach

I
The Ecosystemic Paradigm

Economic development is not a linear sequence of investments — it is a complex ecosystem. Real success is measured not just in jobs created today, but in civic alignment built, capital access expanded, and the conditions for the next generation of entrepreneurs to exist at all.

II
The But-For Standard

Every investment must pass a rigorous test: "But for this federal dollar — would this actually happen?" Capital is only deployed where it is truly catalytic. This is the discipline that separates transformational investment from a well-meaning press release.

"A data center alone is not economic development — it is infrastructure. A necessary but insufficient condition for sustainable prosperity."
Alejandra Y. Castillo
International Economic Development Council · March 2026
In the Press
Affiliations
Council on Foreign Relations · Harvard Kennedy School · Purdue University Northwest
Keynote Topics

Speaking Expertise

01
The Competitiveness Imperative
How AI & Quantum are Redrawing the Map of Global Economic Power
02
Innovation Without Permission
America's Next Economic Boom Will Be Built in Places You're Not Watching
03
The Talent Equation
Workforce Development as the Defining Variable in the Technology Race
04
Economic Security Is National Security
Why Supply Chains and Innovation Ecosystems Are Now Geopolitical Assets

Ready to work with Alejandra?

Available for keynote engagements, board and advisory roles, and strategic advisory through Quantum Global Advisors.

About

From a bodega in the Bronx to the architect of America's economic future

The Origin Story

The Bodega School
of Economics

Alejandra Y. Castillo was born in Corona, Queens, to Dominican immigrant parents. Her father owned a bodega in the Bronx; her mother sold Avon. She was the first in her family to learn English — from PBS — and quickly became the family's interpreter, advocate, and problem-solver, translating letters from landlords and navigating the Social Security Administration for neighbors who had no one else to turn to.

At 4:00 a.m. she was working alongside her father in the bodega, absorbing a lived education in economics — margins, inventory, resilience — that no graduate school could replicate. When her father died when she was thirteen, she didn't retreat. She became the family's anchor. That experience, she has said, became the foundational lens through which she would eventually direct $6.8 billion in federal investment.

She later attended Colegio Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, then spent a formative year of study in the Azores, Portugal, deepening her Portuguese fluency and her engagement with Atlantic and Lusophone cultures — an experience that shaped her bicultural, multilingual approach to global economic diplomacy.

$6.8B
Federal investment deployed under her leadership — a 16× expansion of EDA's historic budget
200K+
Jobs secured through American Rescue Plan implementation alone
20+ yrs
EDA reauthorized for the first time in over 20 years under her tenure
Named "Architect of Change"
LBJ School of Public Affairs · University of Texas at Austin · 2025 Commencement Speaker and Alumni of the Year
NYSE · Ticker Symbol
WOMN
New York Stock Exchange

As CEO of YWCA USA, Castillo launched the first nonprofit ETF ever listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Trading under ticker WOMN, the instrument was designed to channel investment capital toward companies with strong records of advancing women's leadership. It remains one of the most creative institutional finance innovations in the nonprofit sector — and a model for aligning financial markets with mission. Under her leadership, YWCA also secured $250M+ in philanthropic funding, including a landmark gift from MacKenzie Scott.

Career Milestones

2025 – Present
Chancellor's Senior Fellow for Economic Development
Purdue University Northwest · Roberts Impact Lab
Leads the Roberts Impact Lab — a regional hub for business growth and technology commercialization with a quantum computing lab in Hammond, Indiana. Teaches graduate and executive-level seminars on economic development, national competitiveness, and national security. Advises the Greater South Shore Steering Committee on regional economic expansion.
2025 – Present
Chief Executive Officer
Quantum Global Advisors
Leads her strategic advisory firm, providing counsel to public and private stakeholders on building inclusive economic ecosystems. Focus areas include AI and quantum strategy, workforce development, and technology commercialization for historically underinvested communities.
Fall 2024
Resident Fellow
Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics
Led the study group: "Can Our Democracy and National Security Survive the Next Tech Revolution? Unpacking America's Big Bet on Place-Based Economic Growth." Examined how technological disruption affects regional economies, democratic institutions, and the long-term sustainability of place-based federal investment.
2021 – 2024
U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development
Economic Development Administration, U.S. Dept. of Commerce
Senate-confirmed unanimously. First woman of color to hold this position. Expanded EDA budget from $400M to $6.8B — a 16-fold increase. Oversaw $3B across nearly 800 projects securing 200,000+ jobs. Reauthorized the EDA for the first time in over 20 years. Led Tech Hubs, Good Jobs Challenge ($500M), Build Back Better Regional Challenge ($1B), and Recompete Pilot Program.
First Woman of Color · Senate-Confirmed Unanimously · EDA Reauthorized in 20+ Years
2017 – 2021
Chief Executive Officer
YWCA USA
Led a network of 200+ associations serving 2.2 million women and families. Launched the first nonprofit ETF on NYSE (WOMN). Secured $250M+ in philanthropic funding including a MacKenzie Scott gift. Commissioned groundbreaking "shecession" research. Led "YWomen Vote" and "YWomen Count" 2020 Census civic initiatives. Mobilized national response to domestic violence during COVID-19.
2014 – 2017
National Director
Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
First Hispanic woman to lead MBDA. Secured $19B+ in contracts and financing for minority-owned businesses. Supported 33,000+ jobs. Launched the MBDA Inclusive Innovation Initiative — focusing on technology transfer from federal laboratories to minority entrepreneurs in advanced manufacturing and clean energy.
2008 – 2014
Special Advisor to the Under Secretary for International Trade
U.S. Department of Commerce, Obama Administration
Focused on global competitiveness and promotion of U.S. exports. Led U.S. small business delegation to Hannover Messe — the world's largest industrial technology trade fair. Represented the U.S. at the Summit of the Americas and before the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDCP).
1996 – 2001
Senior Policy Analyst
White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Clinton Administration
Worked under General Barry McCaffrey on drug prevention, treatment, interdiction, and money laundering policy. Developed expertise in federal interagency coordination and multi-sector policy implementation. Also served on President Clinton's Presidential Inaugural Committee.
Early Career
Woodrow Wilson Fellow · Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Fellow
Council on Hemispheric Affairs · Office of Senator Edward Kennedy
Began her Washington career as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs. Awarded the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Fellowship and joined the staff of Senator Edward Kennedy, working on the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Following law school, clerked for Judge Laura Cordero of the D.C. Superior Court and practiced in white-collar law specializing in the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

International Reach

A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Castillo has represented the United States in multilateral and bilateral forums across four continents, operating in English, Spanish, and Portuguese at the highest diplomatic levels — a capability that distinguishes her from nearly all economic development officials of her generation.

Council on Foreign Relations
Member · Moderated nuclear security forum in Miami
Summit of the Americas
U.S. Government Representative
Hannover Messe
Led U.S. small business delegation — world's largest industrial tech fair
United Nations (UNDCP)
U.S. Representative before the UN Office on Drugs and Crime
Americas Competitiveness Exchange
Strengthened innovation ecosystems across Latin America and the Caribbean
Presidential Inaugurations
Official U.S. delegate — Bolivia (Evo Morales) and Dominican Republic (Luis Abinader)

Education

J.D.
American University Washington College of Law
Specialization: White-collar crime & business law · Led International Human Rights Moot Court team to the final round
M.P.P.
LBJ School of Public Affairs, UT Austin
Graduate thesis: ethics of biotechnology · Alumni of the Year · 2025 Commencement Speaker
B.A. Economics & Political Science
SUNY Stony Brook
Minor: International Studies

Languages

EnglishNative
SpanishFluent
PortugueseFluent
FrenchIntermediate
Media
Regular commentator on Univision, Telemundo, and Radio Bilingüe — bridging policy discourse across English and Spanish-language audiences.
Personal

Something people don't expect

"I have led a very public life, and yet I am an introvert. This is something that surprises people who meet me."

She also loves to dance, and believes in the power of music to heal, inspire, and unite. Her playlist spans the world: fado from Portugal, plena from Puerto Rico, merengue and bachata from the Dominican Republic, country and blues from Appalachia and the American Southwest. "I need music from all over the world. It feeds my soul."

Recognition

LULAC National Public Service Award (2024)
International Economic Development Council Service Award (2023)
LBJ School Alumni of the Year · "Architect of Change" (2025 Commencement Speaker)
Hispanic Heritage Awards Foundation · Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (2019)
National Urban League "Women of Power" Award (2016)
U.S. Black Chamber of Commerce Advocate of the Year (2015)
Speaking

Keynotes, Panels & Briefings

Keynotes on AI, quantum, economic development, and national security for boards, governments, universities, and international organizations. Fee: $15,000–$30,000+

Signature Topics

Topic 01
The Competitiveness Imperative
How AI and Quantum Are Redrawing the Map of Global Economic Power
Drawing on her experience directing $6.8 billion in federal economic development investment and her current work at Purdue University Northwest's Roberts Impact Lab, Castillo explains how the AI and quantum transitions are fundamentally reshaping regional economies, corporate strategy, and national security — and what boards, executives, and policymakers can do to get ahead of the curve.
Ideal for:Fortune 500 boards, C-suite leadership teams, national security conferences, Council on Foreign Relations forums

Speaking Contexts

Aspen Ideas Festival
Milken Global Conference
Fortune CEO Initiative
Davos / World Economic Forum
SXSW Technology & Policy
Quantum World Congress
Council on Foreign Relations
IEDC Annual Conference
National Governors Association
NATO Science & Technology
Congressional Briefings
TEDx

Book Alejandra for Your Next Event

Available for keynotes, panels, Congressional briefings, and international forums.

Writing & Media

Publications, Essays & Policy Work

Latest
Op-Ed  ·  International Economic Development Council  ·  March 31, 2026
We've Heard These Promises Before: What Big Tech Owes Communities Like Ours
On AI data centers, corporate extraction, and what genuine economic development actually requires — published in the journal of America's leading economic development professional association.

"A data center alone is not economic development — it is infrastructure. A necessary but insufficient condition for sustainable prosperity."

Read the Op-Ed →
LinkedIn Newsletter

The Competitiveness Brief

Biweekly analysis on AI, quantum, regional innovation, and national competitiveness. 2,500+ subscribers.

Subscribe on LinkedIn →

Publications

IEDC
Op-Ed
We've Heard These Promises Before: What Big Tech Owes Communities Like Ours
Mar 31, 2026
published
NW Indiana Times
Op-Ed
Taking America's Pulse: Why I Left Washington for the Heartland
Mar 29, 2026
published
Politico
Op-Ed
America's Tech Hubs Bet Is Paying Off — Now Don't Squander It
Q1 2026
forthcoming
Harvard Business Review
Essay
What Every Board Needs to Know About Quantum (And Why You're Already Behind)
Q1 2026
forthcoming
MIT Technology Review
Opinion
The Real Reason the U.S. Is Winning and Losing the AI Race Simultaneously
Q2 2026
forthcoming
Brookings Institution
White Paper
Workforce Is the Missing Variable in Every Quantum Strategy
Q2 2026
forthcoming
Foreign Affairs
Feature
From Factory Floors to Quantum Labs: What Regional Economic Development Gets Right
Q2 2026
forthcoming
The Hill
Op-Ed
The National Security Case for Investing in Rust Belt Tech Ecosystems
Q3 2026
forthcoming
Harvard Political Review
Interview
Equity as an Economic Catalyst: An Interview with Alejandra Castillo
2024
published
Signature Publication · Q4 2026

Building the Quantum Workforce: A National Strategy for Economic Competitiveness

Alejandra's signature policy brief — 20 pages synthesizing her federal program leadership, academic research at Purdue University Northwest's Roberts Impact Lab, and current technology strategy work through Quantum Global Advisors.

Advisory

Strategic Advisory Practice

Through Quantum Global Advisors, Alejandra provides strategic counsel where deep policy fluency, federal program experience, and technology strategy converge.

Her Firm

Quantum Global Advisors

Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO

Quantum Global Advisors provides strategic counsel to public and private stakeholders on how to build inclusive economic ecosystems that are future-ready. The firm focuses on "future-proofing" the American workforce — particularly Latino and historically underserved communities — by closing technological gaps, expanding access to AI-driven opportunities, and commercializing emerging technologies into sustainable regional industries.

Clients include governments, corporations, foundations, and institutions navigating the convergence of AI, quantum computing, advanced manufacturing, and national security policy.

What makes Alejandra different

There are plenty of AI commentators. Plenty of former government officials. Plenty of economic development experts. Very few have been all three — operating at the scale of $6.8B in deployed capital, Senate confirmation, CFR membership, and active academic leadership simultaneously. She speaks to your board from operational authority, not analytical distance.

Technology Strategy
AI, quantum, cybersecurity — at board and C-suite level, not commentary level
Government & Regulatory
Commerce, EDA, CHIPS Act, ARP — she helped write the policy
Workforce & Human Capital
Talent pipeline design at federal scale — $500M Good Jobs Challenge
International Reach
CFR member · Summit of the Americas · Multilingual — EN, ES, PT, FR

Advisory Practice Areas

Technology Strategy

Helping boards and C-suites translate AI and quantum developments into competitive strategy, governance frameworks, and investment decisions — drawing on direct experience building the Tech Hubs program.

Fortune 500 · Technology Companies · Financial Services · Defense

Economic Development

Regional innovation ecosystems, Tech Hub strategy, CHIPS/IRA policy navigation, place-based investment and commercialization — from the architect of these programs herself.

States · Regions · Universities · EDOs · Foundations

Workforce Systems

AI-era talent pipeline design, quantum workforce strategy, education-to-employment pathways for emerging technology sectors — currently being built at the Roberts Impact Lab.

Corporations · Community Colleges · DOL Grantees · Labor Unions

National Security & Policy

Industrial policy analysis, supply chain resilience strategy, technology competition, and allied cooperation frameworks — informed by CFR membership and three decades of federal service.

Government Agencies · Defense Contractors · Think Tanks · Foundations

Board & Advisory Role Availability

Alejandra is available for corporate board seats and advisory board roles with companies and institutions at the intersection of technology, economic development, and national security policy. Nominating committees: please inquire directly through Quantum Global Advisors.

Quantum & AI Companies
Advanced Manufacturing
CDFIs & Regional Banks
Research Universities
Technology-Focused Foundations
Think Tanks
Press

Media & Press Resources

Downloadable Biographies

Short Bio

150 words

For conference programs, speaker introductions, and event listings.

Standard Bio

400 words

For media coverage, website features, and article attribution.

Long Bio

600+ words

For books, academic publications, and comprehensive institutional profiles.

One-Page Speaker Sheet

Topics, audience fit, speaking fee range, booking contact, and professional headshot. Updated quarterly.

Media Mentions & Coverage

The New York Times
Named as a transformational leader in place-based economic development
Read →
Politico
Highlighted for role in reshaping federal approaches to regional competitiveness and inclusive innovation
Read →
Bloomberg
Featured on federal economic development expansion and Tech Hubs program
Read →
The Hill
Quoted on national security implications of supply chain policy
Read →
Harvard Political Review
"Equity as an Economic Catalyst" — in-depth interview on place-based investment and inclusive growth
Read →
Univision / Telemundo
Regular Spanish-language commentary on workforce development and economic opportunity
Read →
IEDC
Op-Ed published in the International Economic Development Council — "We've Heard These Promises Before: What Big Tech Owes Communities Like Ours"
Read →

Media Contact

For interview requests, media inquiries, and fact-checking:

press@alejandracastillo.com
Contact

Get in Touch

Send an Inquiry

Connect

Speaking Inquiries
Keynotes, panels, Congressional briefings, and international forums.
speaking@alejandracastillo.com
Advisory & Board — Quantum Global Advisors
Strategic advisory engagements and board appointments.
advisory@quantumglobaladvisors.com
Media & Press
Interview requests, media inquiries, and fact-checking.
press@alejandracastillo.com

Follow Alejandra

Speaking Fee Range
$15,000 – $30,000+
Live keynotes. Virtual rates available upon request.