Alejandra Y. Castillo Receives Distinguished Public Service Award from the LBJ School of Public Affairs

YWCA USA is pleased to announce that our CEO, Alejandra Y. Castillo is the 2020 recipient of the Distinguished Public Service Award (DPSA) from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. The Distinguished Public Service Award is the school’s highest alumni honor and highlights alumnus who dedicates their careers to public service and courage. Alejandra known nationally as a “high-profile leader” with over two decades of professional experience in Washington, D.C., having served in senior leadership roles in two presidential administrations. As the first Hispanic-American woman to lead the Minority Business Development Agency, Alejandra helped secure $15 billion in contracts and capital while retaining and creating 33,000 jobs during the Great Recession. Now Alejandra is the CEO of YWCA USA, a leading organization of over 200 local associations that serve 2.3 million women and girls across the country.“On behalf of the Board of Directors of YWCA USA, I would like to congratulate Alejandra on this recognition of her career achievements,” said Beth McCaw, Board Chair, YWCA USA. “Alejandra’s tremendous commitment to public service is evident in her leadership at YWCA USA and in her dedication to our mission to create a more equitable and just society for women, girls, and people of color across the country.”“I am very grateful to be the recipient of the 2020 Distinguished Public Service Award. It is truly an honor that I will cherish my entire life. To be reviewed by my peers and have my career achievements considered worthy of the highest honor at the LBJ School of Public Affairs is both humbling and gratifying, said Alejandra Y. Castillo, CEO, YWCA USA. “A sincere thanks to the LBJ School community and its commitment to improving the quality of public service in the United States and abroad at all levels of governance and civic engagement. As a result, I gained invaluable experiences and skills that have shaped both my perspective and my career.”Alejandra will be honored during a virtual ceremony on Monday, December 14th, at 7 p.m. CT. We invite family, friends, and colleagues to attend by registering here.  LBJ will send event access details the day before the event. In the interim, please join the YWCA USA family in congratulating Alejandra for this amazing accomplishment.