Former United States Ambassador to Croatia Nathalie Rayes Selected as 2025 Commencement Speaker

By Stan Paul

With a reputation as a transformational leader, Nathalie Rayes, MPP ’99, has had a remarkable career characterized by public service, philanthropy, business strategy, advocacy, and diplomacy.

Rayes, who came to the United States from Venezuela at age nine, recently concluded her diplomatic service as the 10th U.S. Ambassador to Croatia. On June 13, she will return to UCLA Luskin to serve as keynote speaker for the 2025 commencement ceremonies to be held at UCLA’s historic Royce Hall and Ackerman Grand Ballroom.

“We are delighted and honored to have such a distinguished graduate as our commencement speaker following her service as a U.S. ambassador,” announced UCLA Luskin Interim Dean Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris. “As an early alumna, her decades of service and accomplishments — locally, nationally, and internationally — make her a wonderful role model for thousands of subsequent Luskin students.”

Rayes, who holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from UCLA and a Master of Public Policy degree from UCLA Luskin, was named UCLA Luskin Public Policy Alumna of the Year in 2014.

She has been recognized for her many contributions to public service, including the AL DÍA Archetype Ambassador Manuel Torres Award. She was named among the 25 most powerful Latinas in the U.S. by People en Español Magazine and was among the Top 10 Líderes by Hispanic Executive Magazine in 2021. Rayes also was recognized in the Huffington Post’s “40 Under 40 Latinos in Foreign Policy” in 2015.

In 2022, she was appointed the board of the United States Institute of Peace by former President Joe Biden. After her nomination as U.S. ambassador was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, she was sworn in on January 10, 2024, by former Vice President Kamala Harris.

In her role as ambassador, Rayes was credited with advancing economic prosperity, security, and cultural partnerships while she worked to bolster U.S. business engagement, promote entrepreneurship and economic opportunity. She also fostered meaningful personal connections through cultural diplomacy including educational exchanges and outreach.

Previously, as president and CEO of Latino Victory — an advocacy group working to increase Latino representation — she mobilized millions of voters, expanded fundraising, and elevated Latino representation in leadership roles across the nation. Rayes also was vice president of public affairs for Grupo Salinas in the U.S. and executive director of Fundación Azteca America. Earlier in her career, she served as deputy chief of staff to former Los Angeles Mayor James K. Hahn, where she oversaw intergovernmental relations and citywide initiatives and established the city’s first Office of Immigrant Affairs.

Her board service includes serving as an early architect of the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Program, chairing the Hispanic Federation, and founding the Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) Binational Fellowship. She was also appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Woodrow Wilson Center by President Barack Obama.

Following her diplomatic service, she was honored for her humanitarian work by the Hispanic Federation at the organization’s 2025 gala in April. Upon receiving the award, she commented, “Receiving the Humanitarian Award is an incredible honor — a reminder that being a humanitarian means turning empathy into action, using your voice when others cannot, and serving with dignity, compassion, and courage.”

Rayes continued, “… stepping off the plane in Los Angeles, a nine-year-old little girl from Anaco, Venezuela — nervous, uncertain, but full of hope. Hope that through hard work and perseverance, anything was possible. That hope fueled my path from public service to diplomacy — and strengthened my belief that justice is never guaranteed, but always worth fighting for.”