Carmen has a Masters Degree in Management and 17 years of local government experience that includes community affairs, budgeting and working for two Lee County Commissioners.

Carmen moved to Cape Coral 13 years ago and has volunteered on citizen boards and committees to include:  News-Press Editorial Board, Cape Coral Charter Review, Community Development Block Grant, Minority Affairs and many others.

A “servant leader” Carmen started a successful General Education Diploma (GED) ministry at her church and under her seven year leadership more than 24 adults received their GED some going on to college.  In 2016 Carmen ran for Lee County Supervisor of Elections and was the only candidate in that race to qualify for the ballot by collecting the required 4500 signatures countywide.

She is a founding member (2018) of the Hispanic Vote of SWFL and served as 2019-2020 Chairwoman.

Rafael Lopez was born in Havana, Cuba and came to the United States as a young child, in 1962.  Rafael grew up in Dade County and moved to Broward County in 1990.  He has been married for 34 years.

He is a veteran of the United States Armed Forces and was honorably discharged from the United States Marine Corps.  

Rafael holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Florida International University. He is also a graduate of the Southern Police Institute’s, 22nd Command Officer’s Development Program and Nova Southeastern University’s, Institute for Criminal Justice Studies, 14thExecutive Leadership Program.

He started his law enforcement career in 1979 with the North Miami Beach Police Department and worked there until 1990.  He was recruited by MasterCard International, as an International Security Officer.  His region included the Southeast United States, South and Central America, and the Caribbean.  He was hired by the Cooper City Police Department in 1994 and the department merged with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, in 2004.  He retired, as a Lieutenant, in 2015, after 33 years of Law Enforcement service.

Rafael has been involved with many professional and community organizations throughout his career:  ASPIRA of Florida, Broward County Diversity Advisory Council, Broward Schools ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Leadership Council, Collier-Lee Honor Flight, Cuban-Americans for a Better Florida, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Broward County, and is a Founding Member of The Hispanic Vote.

Silvia Hasak moved to Lee County in 1989.  She was employed with Lee County Government from1990 until her retirement in 2022.

Silvia has been very involved with the community, having previously served on the Board of Directors for the Southwest Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, The Hispanic Affairs Advisory Board, Dunbar Festival Committee and the Golisano Children’s Hospital advisory board.

Silvia is the founder of the Lee County Hispanic Achievement Awards banquet and the Lee County Hispanic Hall of Fame.  She had the honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame on October 23, 2002.

A founding member (2018) of the Hispanic Vote of SWFL, Silvia served as Treasurer until 2021.