Louis Caldera is a nonprofit and business leader and a former senior government official and higher education leader. Caldera served as Secretary of the Army during the Clinton Administration and in the Obama White House as an Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Military Office. His higher education career includes service as president of The University of New Mexico. He has also taught courses on legislative and democratic process and leadership, including in Washington D.C. at George Washington and American universities.
Mr. Caldera began his public service career as an Army officer. He then practiced law in Los Angeles before being elected to the first of three terms in the California Legislature.
Caldera has served on numerous nonprofit and public company boards, and on a number of educational, foreign policy and national security commissions, task forces and study groups. He co-founded and co-chairs The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, an alliance of over 400 college and university presidents concerned about the impact of U.S. immigration policy on their students, campuses and communities. Born in El Paso, Texas and raised in Whittier, California, Louis Caldera is the proud son of Mexican immigrants.
Caldera is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and holds a J.D. and MBA from Harvard University. Follow Mr. Caldera on X at @LouisCaldera.
Explore some of Mr. Caldera’s recent commentary:
- Absolute presidential immunity threatens national security, Stars and Stripes, 4/24/24
- Presidents don’t need criminal immunity to take bold action, If You Can Keep It, 4/24/24
- Retired Military Officials: Protecting Abortion Care Keeps America Safe, The Washington Post, 2/1/24
- Congressional Action to Protect DACA Recipients Needed Now — Traverse City Record Eagle, 12/9/22
- DACA Recipients Have Helped Build the American Dream. It’s Time to Give Them a Path to Citizenship. — USA Today, 6/15/22
- Open Letter to Senators on Operation Protect Democracy Principles — AirForceTimes, 7/17/21
- Operation Protect Democracy: Our ongoing Oath Supports Electoral Reform — Military Times, 5/27/21
- Higher Ed Leaders Should Keep Engaging on Immigration — Inside Higher Ed, 3/22/21