JUAN CRUZ

Former Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs (during the Trump Administration)


  • Partner of Dinámica Americas
  • Served as the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western
  • Hemisphere Affairs at the White House, 2017-2019
  • Non-resident senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
  • His deep understanding of the region was honed through overseas postings in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela

Juan Cruz is an advisor and consultant on Latin American issues for the private and public sectors helping determine risk, chart solutions, execute strategies, and resolve challenges based on his more than 30 years of experience. Cruz served as the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the White House, 2017-2019.

Juan Cruz joined the Center for Strategic and International Studies in 2019 as non-resident senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is a bipartisan, nonprofit policy research organization dedicated to advancing practical ideas to address the world’s greatest challenges. 

Since October 2020, he has also served as director of the Argentina-U.S. Strategic Forum. The forum, which began in 2017, is a binational platform where issues relevant to both countries are discussed to shape a positive agenda that fosters a dynamic relationship—regardless of the administration in power in either country. 

From 2017 to 2019, Cruz worked with the National Security Council as the special assistant to the president and senior director for Western Hemisphere affairs. He drove interagency decisionmaking processes for the region and worked with international partners to foster shared understanding of key issues. He was instrumental in defining the administration’s approach to the Venezuelan crisis, the administration’s Cuba policy, and furthering the overall Western Hemisphere strategy. 

Cruz's professional career spans three decades as a public servant in the U.S. government. His deep understanding of the region was honed through overseas postings in Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. While in Colombia, Cruz fostered historic successes against drug cartels and guerrilla insurgencies. Throughout his government service, he has led teams to support, execute, and shape U.S. foreign policy and national security. 

Cruz speaks fluent Spanish and Portuguese. He holds a BA from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, an MA in international public policy from Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, and an executive leadership certification from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management. He also studied at the Pontificia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro.

Juan tailors each presentation to the needs of his audience and is not limited to the topics listed below. Please ask us about any subject that interests you:

  • US Elections
  • US Foreign Policy
  • US & Latin America
  • Security

 

Geopolitical Consequences of the 2024 US Election 

In November 2024, US voters will elect the country’s next President. A decision with profound geopolitical effects in 2025 and beyond: Will the US back Ukraine or Russia? Will US-China competition become confrontation? Will it defend or turn away from Israel? Will confrontation with Iran escalate or recede? Will the energy transition continue? Will it double-down on North America competitiveness or use the 2026 sunset of the USMCA to further US protectionism? Will it declare tariff wars on countries of migration? Will it deploy US Special Forces against drug cartels? A bipartisan pair of strategic advisors -- Dan Restrepo (White House adviser to President Obama) and Juan Cruz (White House adviser to President Trump) -- are available to, together, unpack these scenarios and more to help business, investment, political, and civic leaders prepare for what comes next in the Americas and around the world. 

Available Speakers:

  • Dan Restrepo has spent 30 years advising public- and private-sector leaders at the intersection of policy, politics, communication, and law in the Americas, including as principal advisor for the Americas to President Obama. 
  • Juan Cruz is an advisor and consultant on Latin American issues for the private and public sectors helping determine risk, chart solutions, execute strategies, and resolve challenges based on his more than 30 years of experience. Cruz served as the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the White House, 2017-2019.
  • Roberta S. Jacobson was U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, and White House Coordinator for the Southwest Border. She serves on the Board of Directors of Liberty Latin America and SoundThinking. 
  • Ricardo Zuniga served as President Obama’s principal advisor for the Americas in the White House, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Special Envoy for the Northern Triangle, and U.S. Consul General in São Paulo, where he advanced U.S. commercial relations with Brazil. 
  • Nick Zimmerman served as Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S. Ambassador to the UN and White House National Security Council Director for Brazil & Southern Cone Affairs. He has had leadership roles in several advisory firms such as WestExec Advisors and Macro Advisory Partners.
     
  • Travels from: Washington D.C., USA

  • Fee Range: USD 10.001 a USD 30.000


*Fee Range:

Fee ranges listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline. Please note: if a speaker has a fee range listed such as USD 20.000 to USD 40.000, it indicates that the fee falls within that range. Speakers’ fees are subject to change without notice. Fees often vary based on several factors, including speaker’s availability, length of presentation, supply and demand, and event location, among others. Please contact us with your specific event details and requirements, and we will provide you with a precise quote.