Name: Daniel Bucheli
Hometown: Tampa, Fla., via Quito, Ecuador
Position: Communications director, Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo.
Age: 30
Alma Mater: Johns Hopkins School of Advanced Academic Programs
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Washington Examiner: Where did you grow up?
Bucheli: I am originally from Ecuador in South America. I was born in Quito, Ecuador, lived there until I was nine. My mother is American, so she always wanted us to come to the States. So, we came and settled in Tampa, Fla., and went to elementary school, middle school, high school here, University of Tampa, and then did my masters degree here at John Hopkins.
Washington Examiner: Since Coffman is chairman of the Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on military personnel, do you have a background in the military?
Bucheli: I don’t. Working for the congressman, I have really learned a lot about veterans and military affairs. My brother serves in the U.S. Army; he’s a medic with them.
Washington Examiner: Is there any specific issue you have latched onto in serving under the congressman?
Bucheli: As communications director, I have to be able to talk about a whole range of issues, whether it’s veteran affairs [or the] military. District communications also plays a role in my job. I have gotten to know a lot about Colorado.
Washington Examiner: When did you start working on Capitol Hill?
Bucheli: I came to the Hill in 2010. It was my last year of college; I went to the University of Tampa. I interned for Mr. [Darrell] Issa of California. And then, I was in his personal office for three years, and then I moved on to the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and I worked with the clerk shop there.
After about a year, I went to Annapolis, Md., where I advised the mayor there. There was a new mayor, a great guy … and then I had an opportunity to come back to the Hill under Cathy McMorris Rodgers in the Republican Conference. My role there was specialty media and press secretary.
I dealt with all the Spanish-speaking requests coming out of the conference, booking members, translations, teaching Spanish, and that’s how I met up with Mr. Coffman.
We used to do one-on-one Spanish lessons. And then, back in December, I was leaving the Hill due to personal reasons … and he said “why don’t you come work with me, we’ll work around the time that you need,” which the office has been wonderful about. We practiced Spanish, we [prepared for his] Spanish vacations, and then … I learned about veteran affairs and whatnot.
Washington Examiner: Can you provide some background on the translation role within the Republican Conference?
Bucheli: The Republican Conference had a role called special to media. One thing I wanted to highlight … is the need for the GOP to reach out to the Hispanic community. I am very passionate about that. I think it’s a bloc that shares a lot of the ideological, family and religion bond [with the party]. They just aren’t engaged properly.
I try to help members. I book them on TV, we did Spanish op-eds, we did radio shows, anything and everything you would do on the English side, we would try to do on the Spanish side.
The Republican Conference started this [outreach]. I had a predecessor before me, and the conference is the service arm to members, so they have everything from graphic design, to media coordination, booking, and obviously, my branch was specialty media.
Washington Examiner: How does that continue in your current role?
Bucheli: Given our district, it’s about 22 percent Hispanic, so that plays a big role in our communications. We try to do media interviews; we have a very big newspaper in the district that we have very close relationship with; we practice Spanish with the congressman. That’s also what attracted me to the office; he understands the need for outreach and is not afraid to do it.
Washington Examiner: What do you like to do when you’re off Capitol Hill?
Bucheli: I love weekend road trips, whether it’s to West Virginia, Pennsylvania, just going up to Philly, I think that’s the fun part.
Washington Examiner: Do you like the D.C. area?
Bucheli: I love the D.C. area. I think it’s the only city, with the exception of New York, that has people from all over the country, and all over the world, all in one small geographical area.
