Ed. note: This post is part of the Spotlight on Commerce series highlighting members of the Department of Commerce and their contributions to an Economy Built to Last.

Guest blog post by Danny Meza, Senior Adviser to the Under Secretary for Industry and Security in the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs

As Senior Adviser to the Under Secretary for Industry and Security in the Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, I advise the Under Secretary on legislative matters that impact the administration of export controls under the Commerce Department’s jurisdiction.

I was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. I grew up during a time when local community leaders like former San Antonio Mayor and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Henry Cisneros, voter registration activist William C. Velasquez, and Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez worked to galvanize the Hispanic community by encouraging greater civic participation. Today, that same call to public service can be seen in leaders like Mayor Julian Castro and State Representative Joaquin Castro. The same call to public service led me to the Commerce Department in November of 2009.

After finishing my undergraduate degree at the University of Texas at San Antonio, I went to the John Marshall Law School in Chicago where I received my law degree and LL.M in international trade law. After law school, I joined the international trade practice at KPMG in Chicago and then moved to San Francisco to join the export control practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

In August 2009, the president directed a review of the U.S. export control system. The administration’s goal is to strengthen national security and the competitiveness of key U.S. manufacturing and technology sectors by focusing on current threats, as well as adapting to the changing economic and technological landscape. My role at the Department of Commerce focuses on building relationships with Congress to advance this objective. Once completed, export control reform will strengthen our national security and help U.S. manufacturers strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base for the 21st century. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve in the Obama administration and look forward to continuing my work at the Department of Commerce.

Hispanic Heritage month is an opportunity to highlight achievements of Hispanic Americans. Throughout the month we recognize the achievements in business, the arts, academics, and public service and see how Hispanic Americans' work contributes to the community as a whole.