| Rafael Anchia is currently serving his seventh term in the Texas Legislature and represents a western corridor of Dallas County, including parts of Dallas, Farmers Branch and Irving. Before serving in the Texas House, he was twice elected to serve as a Trustee for Dallas ISD. For the past three legislative sessions, Rep. Anchia has been named Chair of the International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. From 2011-2015, he served President Barack Obama as an appointee to the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations which advises the White House and U.S. Trade Representative on trade and investment agreements. Most recently, Rep. Anchia was elected by his peers as Chair of the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus, the oldest and largest Latino caucus in the United States.
Rep. Anchia graduated cum laude from Southern Methodist University and served as Senior Fellow at Tulane University Law School. He has dedicated his public service to fighting for civil rights and public education, protecting the environment and improving access to healthcare for women and children.
Rep. Anchia is a Managing Director in the international real estate private equity firm, Civitas Capital Management, and is Of Counsel at the largest law firm in Dallas, Haynes & Boone, where he specializes in corporate and public finance. Most importantly, he lives in beautiful North Oak Cliff, is blessed with two exceptional daughters, and worships with the Catholic Campus Community at SMU.
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITIONS
- Appointed Vice-Chair of the National Conference of State Legislatures' Labor and Economic Development Committee, 2016
- Recognized as Legislative Hero by Texas Freedom Network, 2016
- Dallas Hispanic Bar Association's "La Luz" Award, highest award given by the Association, 2015
- Appointed Chair of Dallas Charter Review Commission by Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, 2014
- The Martin Luther King, Jr. Justice Award from the Dallas Bar Association, 2014
- "Outstanding Legislator" by Association of Texas Professional Educators, 2014
- Cahn Fellowship, Harvard Kennedy School, 2014
- Appointed to the Democratic National Committee as at-large member, 2013
- Appointed to the Border Legislative Conference by Speaker Joe Straus, 2013
- Recognized by Hispanic Business Magazine as one of the 50 most influential Hispanics in the United States, 2012
- "Ohtli" Award, the highest award given by the government of Mexico to acknowledge the contributions the recipients have made to help empower Mexican and Mexican American communities in the United States, 2011
- The Gregg Cooke Award for Excellence in Environmental Leadership at the annual Clean Air Through Energy Efficiency Conference, 2011
- The Latino Leaders Maestro Award for Leadership, 2010
- Appointed to four-year term on Sunset Commission by Speaker Joe Straus, 2009
- American Jewish Committee's Institute of Human Relations Award, 2009
- Texas Lawyer's "Extraordinary Minority in Texas Law" 2009
- Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund's Matt Garcia Public Service Award, 2009
- Named one of Texas Monthly's Ten Best Legislators, 2007
- Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow, 2007
- Chosen Chairman of the Board of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund for a three-year term, 2006
- Fleming Institute Fellow, 2006
- Texas Monthly's "Rookie of the Year" 2005
- LULAC National "Man of the Year" 2005
- British American Project Delegate, 2003
- Broad Foundation Fellow, 2003
- American Marshall Memorial Fellow, 2001 |