Julián Castro is a politician who served as President Barack Obama’s Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary from 2014-2017. Castro was a presidential candidate for the 2020 election. Previously, he served three terms as mayor of San Antonio, Texas. Castro was the first Latino to hold that office and resigned only in 2014 to join the administration of President Barack Obama. 

Castro received a BA from Stanford University in 1996 and a JD from Harvard Law School in 2000. Upon graduating, he worked as an attorney for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld before starting his own practice and eventually running for a position on the San Antonio City Council in 2001.

In 2010, Castro was named to the World Economic Forum’s list of Young Global Leaders. That same year, Time placed him on its “40 under 40” list of rising stars in American politics.

Castro joined the Dialogue as a Member in 2011.