"Moving the CHLI Familia Forward!”

Senior Manager of Social Impact Communications at DoorDash, Keith Fernandez

By Janelle Acevedo

Keith Fernandez is currently the Senior Manager of Social Impact Communications at DoorDash. He is of Cuban descent, a CHLI alumnus who participated in the Congressional internship program interning for then-Senator Mel Martinez in 2006 and grew up in Miami, Florida. There he studied Political Science at Florida International University before earning a J.D. from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law. Keith spoke with us about his past experiences and current role, his passion for advancing the interests of the Hispanic community, and the importance of helping others grow.

As a recent graduate of Florida International University (Go Golden Panthers!), it was incredibly inspiring to see someone who was in my shoes thriving today. It’s a true testament to how CHLI helps bridge gaps in disparities for Hispanic people looking for careers in public service and corporate America.

I was able to ask Keith about his favorite social impact projects. He recalled his time with Univision Communications Inc., where he was able to work on demonstrating the political power of the Hispanic community in influencing election outcomes and ensuring that policies are responsive to the community. This led to more awareness around the importance of policies that advance prosperity and investment into underrepresented communities in order to create more jobs to move the Latino community forward.

Additionally, he highlighted his time working for Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a founding member of CHLI, where he was able to see the joy on people’s faces when they received their residency or citizenship. It reminded him about how impactful his role and working in public service was. His words refueled my passion for social justice and community engagement and encouraged me to look beyond and realize the real-life impact for constituents in our CHLI placements.

As President of the CHLI Alumni Association, Keith emphasized the importance of building a strong network and provided sneak-peek of impactful programming for CHLI Alumni. He urged us to take advantage of CHLI’s network and do the best we can with every opportunity presented to us, so that one day we can be the ones opening the door of opportunities for other Hispanic leaders.

It is important to believe in ourselves, do our best and bring others with us when we are on top. To continue advancing the Hispanic community we must be willing to pursue a career that sparks joy and help others on their professional and leadership journey.