Rep. Gallego Announces Raphael Chavez-Fernandez as Chief of Staff
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07) announced Raphael Chavez-Fernandez will join his office as Chief of Staff.
“Raphael is a proven leader who has done incredible work at all levels of government,” said Rep. Gallego. “His tenure both serving our nation’s veterans by advising Secretary McDonough at the VA and leading Sen. Menendez’s state operations proves he is up to the challenge of helping deliver solutions for Arizonans. Our team is fortunate to have him as our Chief of Staff.”
Prior to joining Rep. Gallego’s office, Chavez-Fernandez most recently served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. In that role, he oversaw coordination of the Department's activities with state, county, municipal, and tribal governments across the nation.
He also previously served as State Director for Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey, overseeing the Senator's state response during the worst of the pandemic-related economic and health crises. He also served as Deputy Campaign Manager for the Senator’s successful 2018 re-election campaign.
“It is an honor to come back to Congress and work for Representative Gallego, a proud veteran, effective legislator, and staunch advocate who has fought tirelessly for hardworking Arizonan families,” said Chavez-Fernandez. “I can’t wait to get to work with this talented team and keep fighting for all communities in Arizona.”
Chavez-Fernandez holds a Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Political Science from Rutgers University.