INDIANAPOLIS – State Senator Rodney Pol Jr. (D-Chesterton) joined the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund and 67 other newly-elected Latino officials for the NALEO 14th Biennial National Institute for Newly Elected Officials — a two-day convening held November 17–18, 2022, in Washington, D.C. 

Hosted every two years and currently in its fourteenth iteration, the National Institute for Newly Elected Officials is the preeminent professional development program for new Latino policymakers. In addition to equipping Senator Pol and other participants with the necessary governance and leadership skills needed for effective policymaking, participants also connected with a national network of other new Latino state legislators, municipal and county officials, community college trustees, and school board members.

Participants of the boot camp hailed from across the country. This year, the National Institute for Newly Elected Officials Class of 2022 represented 18 states, including Arizona (11), California (12), Colorado (2), Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Indiana (1), Kansas (1), Massachusetts (8), Maryland (2), Nebraska (2), Nevada (1), New Mexico (3), New York (2), Pennsylvania (1), Rhode Island (2), Texas (16), Washington (1), and Wisconsin (1).

“It was a privilege to attend the NALEO Biennial National Institute for Newly Elected Officials to hear from elected officials from across the country,” stated Senator Pol. “I’m honored to serve as Indiana’s first elected Latino State Senator because I believe that representation of all communities in the Indiana legislature is incredibly important. I will continue to use my voice to advocate for working folks across Indiana.”

The robust curriculum provided Senator Pol and others with training on topics as varied as budgeting, finance, and fiscal responsibility; relationships and understanding the policymaking process; developing a brand as a policymaker and leader; integrity and ethics in public office; and self-care.

In addition to the formal curriculum, newly-elected officials also benefitted from networking opportunities with leading policymakers, colleagues from across the country and across the aisle, and experts that serve as the Institute’s faculty.

For more information, a full agenda is available here.