Latina to head Obama's national political director post

From aide to former Denver Mayor Federico Peña to now the first Latina to hold the post of National Political Director for a presidential reelection campaign.

Katherine Archuleta

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's re-election team has chosen Katherine Archuleta of Denver to be his national political director, becoming the first Latina to hold that position. The Denver, Colorado native's selection is key toward winning Colorado in the 2012 Presidential race.

Archuleta is currently the chief of staff to Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis, but brings year's of experience issue knowledge to Obama's campaign. Some of here previous posts include: aide for Mayor Federico Pena, the only, Latino mayor of Denver; senior advisor to former Mayor John Hickenlooper, Denver's lead city planner for the 2008 Democratic National Convention; and, executive director for the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation.

"Her understanding of the issues of the West are important," Interior Secretary and fellow Coloradan Ken Salazar told the Denver Post. "And, the understanding in the Latino community is important as well."

Political experts believe Colorado will be the key state to win the White House in 2012, with Karl Rove overheard stating "as goes Colorado, so goes the nation."

Archuleta has a B.A. in Education at Metropolitan State College of Denver and her Master of Education at the University of Northern Colorado. She will be joining Obama's Chicago-based campaign team, which includes campaign manager Jim Messina, who earlier this year stepped down as deputy White House chief of staff, and David Axelrod, who stepped down as White House senior adviser to reprise his role as chief strategist and top political adviser.