Rita Castañon joins the D&P team as a Junior Associate after serving as a 2023 D&P fellow. Rita interned on the Hill through CHCI's Congressional Internship Program during the fall of 2021. She was placed in Representative Jamaal Bowman's office where she gained an insight into the legislative process. Born in Mexico City but raised in Morristown, Tennessee, Rita graduated from Carson Newman University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Psychology.  

 

One of Rita's greatest accomplishments was to help establish Recruiting Hispanics to Achieve (RHiTA) at Walters State Community College which was inspired by Rita's journey to access higher education in Tennessee.