Peter Schorsch
Danielle Alvarez has been slowly and steadily making her way up through the Florida political world.
The Miami native has worked for the Scott administration, serving as Lieutenant Gov. Carlos Lopez Cantera’s press secretary and then moving on to serve as director of external affairs for Enterprise Florida. She recently joined Mercury Florida as vice president.
Here’s Alvarez in her own words.
I am (age) … 27 years old.
I live in … Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
I got into politics because … I come from a family of Cuban immigrants who fled their country because of a broken, political system. As a Miami-native, I grew up in a community that was passionate about politics and didn’t realize how much that shaped me until I first moved away from home.
One principle I always put above politics is … respect. Politics can be very polarizing, but it’s important to be respectful, regardless of opinion or ideology.
Person or people who gave me my first shot … when I was still a student at Florida Gulf Coast University, Jennifer Goen and Andrew Romer gave me my first opportunity and showed me the ropes. And it was Representative Kathleen Passidomo who took a chance and offered me my first gig.
I’ve already worked for/on (campaign, issues, etc.) … state Rep. Kathleen Passidomo, the Republican Party of Florida, the Executive Office of the Governor, the Governor’s re-election campaign, Lt. Governor López-Cantera, Enterprise Florida and Mercury Public Affairs.
When I begin a project or first work on a campaign, I look … my friend and mentor, Matt Moon, has always taught the importance of “knowing what you don’t know.” It’s the basis of building a successful strategy. You have to start with a solid foundation based on research and intelligence. I’ve been blessed to have these people as my mentors … I am fortunate to have a close circle of people who I turn to when I need sound advice, but my mom deserves a lot of the credit for shaping who I am today. I’m grateful for the sacrifices she made as a parent and the example she sets – more importantly, for her guidance and wisdom.
The people I most admire in politics are … I have been blessed to work with incredibly talented people so early in my career, but the team that was brought together for the Governor’s re-election campaign was truly remarkable. I had an opportunity to work with the best — and learn from them.
One lesson I’ve already learned is … there is a lot in life that you can’t control, so control what you can – work hard and do the right thing. Everything else usually falls into place.
If I wasn’t working in politics, I’d be … a writer on Veep.
In 10 years, you’ll read about me … I prefer to work behind-the-scenes and, in 10 years, I hope to be shaping policy, driving political strategy, and working the front lines of crisis communication issues.
