CHICAGO – Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot today announced Cesar Rodriguez to serve as Press Secretary. Rodriguez is an experienced bilingual media and community outreach expert with a demonstrated history of working in the broadcast journalism and public relations industries.   

"Cesar’s multiple years and deep experience as an awarded communication professional will play a critical role in our ability to effectively inform the press and connect with our residents," said Mayor Lightfoot. "Through his lived experience as a Chicago native and first-generation American, he brings a necessary perspective to the table in addition to a tremendous amount of knowledge and expertise. I am thrilled to formally welcome Cesar to the team and look forward to working closely with him to further develop my administration's relationship with our residents and media partners." 

Cesar has over 13 years of experience in public relations, media, and community outreach. Prior to joining the Lightfoot administration, he served as a national news correspondent for The E.W. Scripps Company, the nation’s fourth-largest local TV broadcaster. Before his work at Scripps, he served as a freelance news reporter at CBS2 Chicago, where he uncovered a variety of important Chicago stories through his investigative reporting. Additionally, Cesar spent over 6 years as a reporter and sports anchor at Telemundo Chicago. While at Telemundo, he effectively delivered the news to Chicago residents in Spanish and English. In conjunction with his work in the media industry, Cesar also spent time as a public relations Manager and policy advisor for then Lt. Governor Pat Quinn.  

"I want to thank Mayor Lori Lightfoot for allowing me to serve Chicagoans," Cesar Rodriguez said. " Chicago welcomed my parents when they immigrated from Mexico in the late '60s. The City of Big Shoulders gave me the resources to aspire that anything is possible with hard work. Today, as a public servant, I'm here to repay the greatest city in the world with my professionalism and dedication.” 

Rodriguez is the son of Mexican immigrants and a proud Chicago native, raised in the Pilsen and McKinley Park neighborhoods. Among his many professional accomplishments, Cesar is a two-time Emmy award winner. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism.   

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