The Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen U.S. House of Representatives (FL-18) Miami, Florida

A childhood refugee from Cuba, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has emerged as a powerful voice in her South Florida community. Ros-Lehtinen served in the Florida House of Representatives and in the Florida Senate before her election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1989. Upon her election, she became the first Hispanic woman and the first Cuban-American elected to the U.S. Congress.

Ros-Lehtinen earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Florida International University. In 2004, she received her doctorate in Higher Education from the University of Miami. As a leader in the South Florida community, Ros-Lehtinen advocated for the cleaning and dredging of the Miami River; Port of Miami; and the expansion of Miami International Airport, which provide important revenue and jobs for South Florida. On the international front, she is a leader in the spread of Human Rights.