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Mario Acosta-Velez

Vice President of Local Engagement, Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Policy for Verizon East Region

Mario Acosta-Velez is Vice President of Local Engagement, Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Policy for Verizon East Region, where he leads strategy development and execution focused on regional high-impact Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, strategic partnerships, social innovation and impact investments, stakeholder and community engagement, technology education, digital inclusion, workforce development, education and economic / community development within diverse communities, among other social impact areas.

Mario is an inclusive leader with 15+ years leading transformative CSR, Local Engagement and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives, building and driving external technology-focused and community engagement initiatives with many national and local strategic partnerships that elevated Verizon's profile as a CSR and DE&I leader.

Mario has been a leader in the business sector building long-term collaborative partnerships with many regional and local chambers of commerce and business organizations. He served on the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce board of directors from 2008 to 2022, serving as Chair of the Board from 2012-2015. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Board of Trade. Mario has been recognized as an innovative and thought leader with excellent ability to drive CSR and social impact strategy and build collaborative partnerships with external national, regional and local organizations. Throughout his career, Mario has received leadership awards including: Washington Business Journal 2019 Business of Pride Award; Out and Equal 2017 Outstanding Champion Award; Washington Business Journal 2014 Minority Business Leader; Hispanic Heritage Foundation Leadership Award; Hispanic Executive Magazine Leadership Feature; Hispanic Corporate Social Responsibility’s Hispanic Corporate Achiever Award, among others.

He is a graduate of Harvard University’s 2005 Senior Executives in State and Local Government program, and is the first member of his family to obtain two graduate degrees: M.A. in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Puerto Rico. He also obtained a BA in Political Science.

Panel Information

TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2023

7:00 PM EST

Emerge Welcome Reception

Network with LULAC leadership, Members of Congress, and other government and community leaders as they welcome young adults and collegiate students from across the country to Washington, D.C. and invite them to embrace a week of advocacy training, leadership development, and action. Participants will also have the opportunity to get their professional headshots taken.

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