Luz Tavarez, a legislative advocacy expert and an experienced leader within the Catholic Charities network, has joined Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) as vice president for government affairs. In this critical role, Tavarez will direct CCUSA’s ongoing efforts to urge national policymakers to recognize the needs of the most vulnerable and to adopt measures that support them.

“It is an honor to join Catholic Charities USA, whose mission embraces and prioritizes families in need,” Tavarez said. “My entire career has been spent in public service, and it is exciting to join such a professional, mission-driven team in their work to support the most vulnerable among us.”

Tavarez served for nearly 17 years in several leadership roles at Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York. As chief government officer, Tavarez led the organization’s legislative advocacy strategy at the city, state, and national levels. Through this work, she helped establish the agency as a recognized thought leader in the areas of emergency food assistance, affordable housing, and immigration. Tavarez also oversaw the agency’s parish engagement and public relations strategies.

At CCUSA, Tavarez leads a team of advocacy and social policy professionals who engage directly with Congress and the White House on issues that affect the Catholic Charities network and its clients. A national membership organization, CCUSA represents the interests of Catholic Charities’ 168 member agencies that serve more than 15 million vulnerable people annually at close to 3,900 locations across the country and its five territories.

“Luz brings to CCUSA a deep background in legislative advocacy and a comprehensive understanding of the policy priorities of the Catholic Charities network,” CCUSA Executive Vice President of Member Services Brian Corbin said. “She is a perfect fit to lead our efforts to persuade policymakers to prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable.”

Before her work on behalf of Catholic Charities, Tavarez worked in state and city government in New York. She holds degrees from New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

“Luz has devoted her career to serving and advocating for those most in need,” CCUSA president and CEO Kerry Alys Robinson said. “We are so grateful that her skillful leadership and tenacious dedication will now be deployed on behalf of our Catholic Charities agencies around the nation and all those they serve.”

Tavarez began her service to CCUSA on Monday, February 12.