ABOUT US

He spent over eight years at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) across three presidential administrations, most recently serving as the Deputy Director of Public Engagement in the Office of the Surgeon General. In that role, Rafael partnered with government leaders, nonprofits, and businesses to shape national priorities in mental health, addiction, loneliness, and the COVID-19 pandemic response.

Rafael’s career has focused on making public service work more human, approachable, and actionable. He oversaw the rollout of federal campaigns on youth mental health and workplace wellbeing, aligning efforts with the White House and DHHS leadership. In his work on workplace wellbeing, he engaged directly with Fortune 500 companies to better understand the existing wellbeing landscape and to share evidence-based best practices that organizations could adopt. As the office’s touchpoint with the public, he also facilitated more than 30 listening sessions with youth people, parents, educators, individuals in recovery, and survivors of gun violence to ensure that federal reports and campaigns reflected the lived realities of communities. He directed national rollouts, leading embargoed briefings with partners, coordinating across teams, and managing both digital and in-person events that brought together federal leadership into direct conversation with communities.

In addition to shaping strategy, Rafael is a trusted public speaker and advisor. He has delivered keynotes, moderated conversations, and facilitated workshops for diverse audiences, including the World Health Organization, Major League Baseball, Pinterest, the National Governors Association, and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. His portfolio includes spearheading creative, high-profile initiatives such as the Mental Health Youth Action Forum at the White House with First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Selena Gomez, and organizing several multi-city engagement tours promoting federal public health awareness campaigns and reports.

As a first-generation Afro-Latino professional, Rafael brings both expertise and relatability to his work. He thrives at the intersection of strategy and storytelling, helping organizations build authentic engagement and find common ground across diverse audiences. He holds master’s degrees from Georgetown University and the University of Maryland, and a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University.

He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, daughter, and pitbull.