Laura Hernandez-Smith Leaves Diaz-Balart's Office

Job transfers and career changes are commonplace but can make a huge difference for lawmakers when an effective employee makes a career shift, especially in Washington, D.C.  Laura Hernandez-Smith, the Communications Director for Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (D-FL), has announced that she has left Equipo (Team in Espanol) Diaz-Balart;

Starting as an intern for the Congressman back in 2016, Hernandez-Smith said that Rep. Diaz-Balart took a chance on her, as she only had a "slight idea," of what Congressmen do.  Nevertheless, three months later she was offered her first position as a staff assistant.

A few promotions later, Hernandez-Smith recalls, "After two years, I was called by my boss on a random Tuesday afternoon and offered a position as Press Secretary in Washington, DC, and I began what would be the most thrilling, challenging, and life-changing years of my professional career thus far."

Publisher Javier Manjarres offered his take on Hernandez-Smith's leaving Rep. Diaz-Balart's office.

"Seriously, I really don't know what he is going to do. Laura was clearly the brains of the whole operation and kept Mario in line whenever he went off on one of his trademark Arroz con pollo, Lincoln Diaz-Balart-esque pontificating tangents (which was all the time)," said Manjarres. "Mario's loss is someone else's gain. She will be missed on the Hill."

Hernandez-Smith saw an array of historical events play out such as the COVID-19 Pandemic and the events of January 6th on Capitol Hill.  Hernandez-Smith issued a statement on her departure, "Today, I am proud (but also sad) to announce that after seven years with one of the most brilliant, humble, and influential Members of Congress of our time (Mario Diaz-Balart FL-26), I will be moving on to further my professional growth. I am excited to join the team at Rokk Solutions as an account director, and I am beyond grateful for this new challenge and for leaders who continue to believe in me."

Next week Andrea Morales will take over the Communications Director position for Representative Diaz-Balart.  Hernandez-Smith will move on to working for Rokk Solutions, a political consulting firm that specializes in advancing bipartisan policymaking in Washington D.C.