Cecilia Muñoz, born on July 27, 1962, in Chicago, Illinois, to Puerto Rican immigrant parents, grew up in East Chicago, Indiana. She earned a B.A. in English from the University of Chicago in 1984. Muñoz began her career in public policy advocacy, spending 24 years at the National Council of La Raza (now UnidosUS), where she advanced to vice president of its Office of Research, Advocacy, and Legislation, focusing on immigration reform, education, and civil rights issues for Latinos. In 2009, she joined the Obama administration as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, serving until 2012, before becoming Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council until 2017, overseeing domestic initiatives including immigration, healthcare, and criminal justice reform. Post-White House, she transitioned to roles in think tanks and nonprofits, including her current position at New America. Muñoz is fluent in Spanish and has been honored with awards like the MacArthur Fellows Program recognition for her contributions to immigrant rights.