Freddy Balsera

Alfredo J. "Freddy” Balsera is an American political consultant who served as Hispanic Media Advisor for Barack Obama during the latter's presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012 as well as other Democratic party campaigns.

Freddy Balsera
Born
Alfredo J. Balsera
OccupationPolitical consultant

Early life and education

Balsera was born in Miami.[1] He graduated from South Miami High School and was its class president and the editor-in-chief for the school newspaper, The Serpent's Tale. After graduating high school he went on to attend Barry University.[2]

Career

Balsera started his career as Alex Penelas' finance manager during the latter's mayoral campaign in 1995. When Penelas won the race for mayor of Miami-Dade County, Balsera was appointed Mayor's Aide for Intergovernmental and Political Affairs. He went on to become Staff Director for the Mayor's Marketing Council in 1997. After having served Penelas during his first four-year term, Balsera went into the private sector and founded Balsera Communications in 1999. Balsera Communications is a national public affairs and strategic communications firm specializing in reputation management, strategic communications, environmental issues, grassroots engagement, digital strategy, and media relations.

After establishing himself and his company in the field of public affairs and public relations, Balsera was chosen to serve as Hispanic Media Advisor for Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential run and again in 2012 after having crafted the President’s Hispanic messaging in 2008. He was a member of Obama’s National Finance Committee during both elections and was appointed Presidential Elector in Florida in 2008. He served on the Obama-Biden presidential transition team and as an advisor to the agency review team for the Federal Communications Commission.[3] After winning the presidential race in 2012, Obama nominated Balsera to serve on the US Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy in 2013. During Hillary Clinton's presidential run in 2016, Blasera was chosen to be a board member of Correct the Record, the SuperPAC working in favor of Hillary Clinton’s nomination and was also a member of the Hillary for America’s Florida Leadership Council.[4]

In this capacity, he co-wrote and produced all of the Spanish media messages broadcast by the Obama campaign nationally. His work delivered an estimated 67% of the national Hispanic vote[5] for President Obama in 2008.[6] Additionally, Freddy Balsera served on the Obama National Finance Committee during both elections and was appointed as a Presidential Elector in Florida in 2008. He is also well known for his work helping Democrats get elected in local and federal political contests in the state of Florida.[7]

After Donald Trump won the presidential election in 2016, Balsera was one of only a handful of Latino political consultants to be invited to Trump Tower to share their views[8] on a variety of issues regarding America's allies in Latin America[9]

Aside from running Balsera Communications, Freddy Balsera is also a Political Analyst for Telemundo[10] and a frequent guest on the local radio show “Panorama Nacional” on Actualidad Radio[11] as well as Univision Noticias[12]

Philanthropy

Balsera has aided non-profit organizations such as St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, ASPIRA of Florida, and others.[13][14]

Personal life

In 2014, Balsera married journalist Gloria Ordáz, who co-anchors weekday editions of Noticiero Telemundo 51.[15][16][17] In September 2014, their home in Coral Gables, Florida was burglarized.[18] He has two children (named Aj and Jack) with his first wife, Chandra Iglesias, and one child with Ordaz.

References
  1. "El cubanoamericano Fredy Balsera será asesor de Obama para la diplomacia". CiberCuba (in Spanish). October 21, 2011. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  2. "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". Whitehouse.gov. Whitehouse.gov. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  3. "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". Whitehouse.gov (Press release). October 18, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  4. Caputo, Marc (November 17, 2015). "Who's who on Hillary Clinton's massive Florida campaign". Politico. Florida. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  5. Balsera, Freddy (November 4, 2008). "Press Release - Freddy Balsera: 'How Obama Closed the Deal With Hispanics'". p2008.org (Press release). PR Newswire. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  6. "The Hispanic Vote in the 2008 Election". Pew Research Center. November 5, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2018.
  7. Mazzei, Patricia (September 22, 2016). "Murphy hires top Miami strategist to lead Hispanic outreach". Miami Herald. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  8. Mazzei, Patricia (January 14, 2017). "Miami political players, including county mayor's son, meet with Trump". Miami Herald. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  9. "La llave para ganar el voto latino es la economía, dice un experto". diariolasamericas.com (in Spanish). Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  10. Noticias Telemundo (June 8, 2017), Investigación paralizará la agenda de Donald Trump | Noticias | Noticias Telemundo, retrieved October 10, 2018
  11. "Freddy Balsera designado a la Comisión Asesora de Diplomacia Pública de Estados Unidos. | Actualidad 1040AM". actualidadradio.com (in Spanish). Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  12. Univision Noticias (May 10, 2015), Debate: ¿Candidatos presidenciales atraen votos al hablar español?, retrieved October 10, 2018
  13. "Julio Balsera, activist and entrepreneur, has passed away". Hispanicize Wire - Hispanic Press Release Distribution Wire Service. October 10, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  14. "Fallece el activista y empresario Julio Balsera". Univision (in Spanish). October 9, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
  15. "Hard Rock Hotel Punta Cana Wedding / Gloria & Freddy". Apico Studio. June 3, 2014. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  16. Noticias, Univision. "De camino al Altar la periodista Gloria Ordaz". Univision (in Spanish). Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  17. "Gloria Ordaz to join Telemundo 51 as reporter and news anchor". NBC Universal Media Village. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
  18. "Coral Gables Residents Upset Over Recent Crimes". CBS Local. Miami, Florida. September 7, 2014. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
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