Carlo Flores-Carlson

Carlo Flores-Carlson was born and raised in McAllen, Texas, on the U.S.-Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley.  As a first-generation student, Carlo attended The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, earning his B.B.A. in International Business with a Minor in Legal Studies in May 2020.  During this time, he held several roles in Student Government, including Chair of the Senate and Vice President, where he served over 30,000 students, spearheading the establishment of the school’s first Multifaith Prayer Room and securing an additional 100 laptop devices for need-based student populations following the switch to virtual education because of COVID-19.  After graduation, Carlo was selected for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Public Policy Fellowship, joining 28 other fellows for a 9-month fellowship in Washington, D.C. Here, Carlo directly worked on a variety of issues, including Western Hemisphere policy, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Puerto Rican Affairs, Appropriations, Diversity, and Inclusion with the Office of Senator Bob Menendez.  Following his fellowship, Carlo remained with the office as a Staff Assistant and later Legislative Correspondent.  Growing up in an immigrant community like the Rio Grande Valley fueled his interest in international relations and development.  He hopes to pursue a Master of International Relations focusing on Latin America and Hemispheric studies, applying his knowledge and experiences of living in this bicultural and binational community to positively impact and shape a new era of U.S.-Latin American relations as a Crisis, Stabilization, and Governance Officer with USAID.  He is a San Antonio Spurs fan and loves cultural exchange activities and traveling.