JOSÉ
MERCADO
Among the many influential roles José plays at D&P, he is most passionate about directing resources back to the Latinx community–his community. As Director of Policy, Communications & Strategic Partnerships for D&P, José integrates government relations, strategic communication, and advocacy into comprehensive policy action plans, giving clients a one-of-a-kind approach.
In his multiple roles, José uses his attention to detail and inclusive insight to ensure that public-facing or internal communications are aligned with clients’ policy positions and political strategy. As the firm’s resident wordsmith, José strategically translates policy language into user-friendly, optimized content. In addition, he serves as an important liaison between corporate clients and third parties, like nonprofits and advocacy organizations. Having worked in both industries himself, José has an uncommon understanding of the needs and priorities of everyone involved.
José built his network from scratch, including his very first break into D.C. policy when he secured an internship with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture in his final year of college. From there, José was selected among hundreds of competitive candidates as the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s (CHCI) PepisCo Pre-Law Fellow, where he worked for Senator Robert Menendez, handling a diverse policy portfolio encompassing Latino Affairs.
As the child of Mexican immigrants, Jose is a proud, first generation graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degrees in Legal Studies and Social Welfare. He attributes his career successes to his family and friends who have provided him with unwavering support.