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Biography

In a wide-ranging international career spanning three decades, Espuelas has bridged the worlds of media, technology, and politics.

One of the Internet's pioneers, Espuelas co-founded StarMedia Network, Inc.  StarMedia led the way in the development of the Latin American Internet industry, including raising the first dollar of venture funding and first IPO for a Latin American Internet company. StarMedia was renowned for product innovations like the first free email service, first instant messaging system, first online TV network with CBS News, and other breakthrough mobile and broadband Internet services that impacted the lives of millions of people.

Espuelas' business endeavors have earned him worldwide recognition. Time magazine and CNN named him one of the “Leaders of the Millennium,” and Crain's New York Business magazine gave him its "All Star" leader award. Espuelas was also a recipient of Latin Trade Magazine's Bravo Award for CEO of the Year.
 

Fernando Espuelas is a Henry Crown Fellow and Member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute.

Fernando Espuelas was host of the daily politics program “The Fernando Espuelas Show” on Univision Radio and the weekly “Decision 2020 with Fernando Espuelas” for Univision News.  Espuelas was also the producer and host of national politics TV show "Matter of Fact with Fernando Espuelas". Produced and distributed by Hearst Television and Sony Pictures Television in Washington, D.C.  A ratings success, "Matter of Fact with Fernando Espuelas" became the No. 1 new national weekend show on American television and a top-five national Sunday newsmaker show, according to Nielsen data.​  Espuelas is the first American Latino to host a mainstream national TV Sunday politics program.

 

Espuelas was previously the host and managing editor of the national, bilingual radio talk show "Fernando Espuelas".  The top rated Latino talk-radio program in the country, the show was produced and broadcast daily from Washington by Univision Radio. 


Espuelas has contributed to CBS News, CNN.com, C-SPAN, FoxNews, France 24, Hearst Television & Radio, The Hill, The Huffington Post, iHeart, NPR News, MSNBC, La Opinión, Sky News, Spotify, Univision, and many other platforms.

Espuelas has interviewed such leading political figures as President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Senate Leader Harry Reid, civil rights icon Dolores Huerta, Sen. John McCain, Gov. Jeb Bush, Speaker Newt Gingrich, Sen. Rand Paul, Sen. Robert Menendez, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Joaquin Castro, Chair of the Democratic Party Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, the Chairman of the Republican Party Reince Priebus, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Richard Durbin, Sen. Lindsey Graham, the US Secretaries of Labor, Education, Veteran Affairs, and HHS, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, Senior Advisor to the President Valerie Jarrett, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and many other renowned national political and cultural figures.

 

Espuelas has been ranked on the power lists of several major media including: CNN, Time, the Hollywood Reporter, the Industry Standard, Latino Leaders Magazine, Red Herring Magazine, Silicon Alley Reporter, Hispanic Business Magazine, Upside Magazine, Hispanic Magazine, LatinVision, and others.

 

The World Economic Forum chose him as a "Global Leader of Tomorrow" in 2000. Espuelas was also named "Immigrant of the Day" by Immigration Daily. And the U.S. Hispanic IT Executive Council (HITEC) included Espuelas in its HITEC 100, the list of "Most Influential Hispanics and Rising Stars in Information Technology."

 

Espuelas was previously Co-Chairman of Mercury Public Affairs; CEO of American Latinos United; CEO of VOY, LLC; Managing Director of Marketing Communications at AT&T Americas; Latin American Regional Account Director at Ogilvy; Founder & Managing Director of Ogilvy Direct Argentina; and held positions at Wunderman and Lowe & Partners in New York.

 

Espuelas co-founded and was Chairman of the StarMedia Foundation. With the Inter-American Development Bank and Microsoft, the StarMedia Foundation funded technology schools in Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Educational Broadcasting Corporation (owner of PBS flagship station Thirteen), as well as on the Board of Trustees of Connecticut College. He served on the Board of Directors of Parent Revolution, a non-profit public school advocacy group. He was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Wesley School in Los Angeles.

 

Espuelas received a B.A. in History with Distinction from Connecticut College.  While he was a student at Conn, he worked as a copy-boy and features reporter for the New London Day newspaper. He served as Publisher & Editor-in-Chief of The College Voice Publishing Group, Connecticut College's student publications organization.

Fernando Espuelas started his first company at North Street School in 6th grade.

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