Maria Teresa Kumar

Emmy-nominated MSNBC contributor María Teresa Kumar is the founding President and CEO of Voto Latino. Since 2004, Kumar has raised more than $75 million to develop Voto Latino into the foremost Latinx voter registration and advocacy organization in the U.S., directly registering over 601,330 new voters as part of their efforts leading into the 2020 election, which featured 32 million eligible Latino voters. In June 2020 alone, Kumar’s organization registered more than 100,000 voters.

Advertising efforts targeting the nation's 60 million Hispanic consumers, who have a median age of 29.5 compared to 40.6 for non-Hispanics, are substantial. Kumar's innovative use of technology, social media, and celebrity endorsements has been pivotal in engaging younger audiences and fostering significant changes. Her strategies have earned her recognition from Fast Company as one of the most creative minds in global business and from Elle as one of the 10 most influential women in Washington.

Kumar’s leadership in transforming Voto Latino into a decisive force in national elections has been widely acknowledged. She has been named an influencer to watch by Campaigns and Elections, one of 2020’s 100 Most Influential Latinas by Latino Leaders, and one of the 100 most influential Latinos in America by Hispanic Business. Additionally, the Hispanic Executive included her in its Top 10 Líderes list, and she received the Leadership Award from The Hispanic Heritage Foundation. Her contributions to journalism have also been recognized with The Women’s Media Center’s Emerging Journalist Award, marking her as a prominent figure with over 400 appearances on MSNBC since 2011.