Lourdes Castillo de la Peña
Miami
Commissioner Lourdes Castillo de la Peña was appointed in 2008 by Attorney General Bill McCollum.
Lourdes Castillo de la Peña has
been active in civic affairs in Miami -Dade County for the past several decades,
holding leadership positions on a myriad of prestigious not –for –profit Boards,
committees and organizations, helping to raise thousand of dollars to benefit
the needy and less fortunate in our community.
Lourdes was born in New Jersey to Cuban immigrant parents who moved their young
family to Fort Lauderdale when she was but 5 years old. Lourdes stayed in Fort
Lauderdale until coming to Miami-Dade to attend St. Thomas University, where she
graduated with a degree in Marketing and Public Relations in 1989.
Ms. Castillo de la Peña earned her wings working with an established
public-relation company in Miami – Dade before opening her own boutique PR firm,
LMC Communications in 1993. LMC Communications quickly prospered with a highly
sought after client roster including Paramount Pictures, Bausch & Lomb, Toy
Manufacturer of America, People en Espanol, BMI, Fashion Week of the Americas,
and Fisher Island Club & Resort, just to name a few.
It wasn’t solely her sense of corporate responsibility that prompted Ms.
Castillo de la Peña’s activism on behalf of those less fortunate. It also had to
do with her gratitude to the United States of America for providing shelter,
hope and the chance of a new beginning for her immigrant parents who fled
Communist Cuba in the early 60’s.
Lourdes was especially moved by the plight of poor Miami –Dade residents, many
of them immigrants without health insurance, who sought free health care at St.
John Bosco
Church health clinic. She accepted an invitation by the Mercy Hospital
Foundation to serve on their board and assume the presidency of the Angels of
Mercy, a volunteer organization charged with raising funds to run the clinic, as
well as providing Christmas dinner and toys to the poor community. She launched
a media campaign that created the most successful awareness and fundraising
initiative in the organizations history, and has been recognized for her
contribution to the Angels of Mercy by various groups.
When Ms. Castillo de la Peña’s father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in
1995, she worked tirelessly in helping to raise awareness about the disease with
the Hispanic Community. Her significant contributions in this area were
recognized by Governor Jeb Bush who appointed her to the State of Florida
Alzheimer’s Disease Advisory Board in September 2001 for a term through February
2005.
Ms. Castillo de la Peña has also served on several national boards such as; The
American Red Cross, Voices for Children, National Alzheimer’s Association,
Republican National Senatorial Committee, as well as local boards; Miami
Children Hospital, Fisher Island Philanthropic Fund, Miami City Ballet, Angels
of Mercy, she is presently serving a four year board term on the Florida Friends
of the Orphans. She was appointed by Governor Bush to the Florida Alzheimer
Disease Initiative in 1999 - 2003, in 2002 she serves a two year term on the
Board of Miami-Dade County Historical Advisory Board and in 2008 Florida’s
Attorney General appointed her as Commissioner to the Florida Status of Women.
However her numerous day to day act kindnesses is what distinguishes Castillo de
la Pena from your average person. She believes in standing up for the underdog
at whatever price and will go to any extreme to make sure justice prevails. Her
heart is always open to help the needy and less fortunate families in the
community; she is sought out by many charity groups to assist when a family is
in distress.
Mrs. Castillo de la Peña’s is married to prominent attorney Leoncio E. de la
Peña. The de la Pena’s are the proud parents of four children; Sofia Victoria,
Lourdes Maria, Catalina Isabel and Ernesto.