The Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), today announced that Ms. Antonia Hernández was elected Co-Chair of the Commission. Ms. Hernández previously served as the CPD's Vice-Chair. The CPD is the nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that has sponsored and produced all general election presidential and vice presidential debates since 1988.
Since 2004, Ms. Hernández has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of California Community Foundation, one of Southern California's largest and most active philanthropic organizations. Previously, Ms. Hernández served as president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), a national nonprofit litigation and advocacy organization.
Ms. Hernández is a member of the board of directors of the Automobile Club of Southern California, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Educational Testing Service, Forest Lawn Memorial-Park Association, Grameen America, Urban Institute and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. She is also a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Law Institute.
In addition to sponsoring and producing the general election debates, the CPD engages in voter education initiatives, provides technical assistance to sponsors of nonpresidential debates, and has established Debates International, a peer network of NGOs that seeks to start or improve leadership debates in their countries.