Leslie Sanchez

An author, political analyst and former director of a White House education initiative, Leslie Sanchez is known for her straightforward style and in-depth understanding of the political and cultural landscape, both inside and outside Washington. Leslie was an on-camera member of CNN’s award-winning 2008 election coverage team. She is the author of the critically-acclaimed You’ve Come a Long Way, Maybe: Sarah, Michelle, Hillary and the Shaping of the New American Woman and Los Republicanos: Why Hispanics and Republicans Need Each Other.

Leslie is founder and CEO of Impacto Group LLC, a premium communications and market research firm that specializes in defining social and economic trends affecting women and the emerging U.S. Hispanic community. For her work, Hispanic Business magazine called her one of the nation’s “100 Most Influential Hispanics,” and she was named “Texas Powerbroker” by the Houston Chronicle for being among the most influential Texans in Washington.

Previously, Leslie served as deputy press secretary at the Republican National Committee where she was one of the principal architects of the organization’s first-ever multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at Hispanic voters. She was later appointed by President George W. Bush as the executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. Leslie also served as a legislative aide to U.S. Rep. Henry Bonilla (TX-23), where she focused on appropriations issues and immigration and border security policy.

Leslie has appeared on a wide range of major media outlets, including the Today show (NBC), The Early Show (CBS), the News Hour with Jim Lehrer (PBS), Oprah Radio, Fox News Channel, MSNBC, Univision, and Telemundo. She is a regular contributor to CNN.com and the AC360 blog, and her writings have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and U.S. News & World Report.