Julio Chavez

CHCI Finance Postgraduate Fellow  

Presented by Bank of America 

Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico 

School: University of New Mexico 

Degree: Master of Public Policy 

Placement: The Office of Senator Martin Heinrich 

Julio Chavez (he/him) was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to first-generation Mexican American parents. He was raised in a predominantly Latino, working-class community of the South Valley and is a proud product of public schools. Despite his parents’ early divorce, he excelled academically, driven by the hard work and perseverance demonstrated by his mother, who raised him and his sisters. In high school, Julio took an interest in community involvement by serving on the board of the Albuquerque Public Schools’ Education Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to awarding grants to local schools. As a student board member, Julio prioritized awarding grants to programs that would provide learning opportunities such as STEM and financial literacy classes to English as a Second Language students. He first developed an interest in politics during the 2016 general elections when he started volunteering as a poll worker.  He continued his political involvement by volunteering for Michelle Lujan Grisham’s gubernatorial campaign and other state and federal campaigns during the 2018 Midterm Elections. In 2019, Julio interned for Senator Tom Udall in Washington, D.C., gaining valuable insights into the legislative process.   

Julio was the first in his family to graduate from college, earning dual Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Economics from the University of New Mexico (UNM). At UNM, he became a member of the Student Government, serving as the Assistant Director of the Governmental Affairs agency. By organizing a coalition between students at New Mexico’s research universities and meeting with key state legislators, Julio helped orchestrate a successful advocacy campaign that restored free college for all of New Mexico’s college students. The campaign focused on the importance of providing an affordable college education, especially to first-generation students in the nation’s first Hispanic-majority state.  

His experience led him to join Sandia National Laboratories’ Government Relations team. As a member of Sandia’s Government Relations team, he led the development, implementation, and execution of the team’s strategic plan. He continued his work with Sandia and pursued a Master of Public Policy, with an interest in economic development. His journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, education, and a deep-seated commitment to uplifting his community.    

As a CHCI Finance Postgraduate Fellow, Julio hopes to identify the barriers that prevent Latinos from accessing capital to save for retirement, own a home, and start or expand a small business. Julio has always been fascinated by the entrepreneurial spirit within the Latino community, and he hopes to identify policy solutions that will help Latinos thrive in the nation’s economy.