Meet the Team
Adrian saenz
Partner
Adrian Saenz most recently served as Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. Prior to joining the Biden-Harris Administration, Adrian served as the senior advisor for Latino paid media on the Biden for President campaign and during the Obama-Biden Administration served as a Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor in the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
A senior level manager, Adrian has experience developing strategic legislative, advocacy and electoral campaigns, managing staff and consultant teams, and leading stakeholder engagement, coalition building and partnerships with federal, state, and local leaders.
In addition to leading the development and management of President Biden’s Office of Public Engagement, Adrian managed President Obama’s relationships with Governors, legislators, and other state elected officials, a nd developed the State Policy Project , an initiative focused on advancing the President’s domestic policy agenda via state legislatures. He has also served as a Continuity of Government Plan team lead in two Administrations and as the in - state coordinator of the White House 2014 Ebola outbreak response.
Previously, Adrian spent nearly a decade on Capitol Hill as a Chief of Staff and Communications Director. A veteran of four presidential campaigns, he served on both Obama - Biden campaign s, as State Director in 2008 and as the National Latino Vote Director in 2012 . H is experience also includes serving as Executive Vice President of the Latino Victory Project, Constituency Director for the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Committee, a senior advisor at Organizing for Action , and as the National Field Director and Latino Vote Director for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
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Colin Rogero
Partner
Colin Rogero is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Conexión and Conexión Public Engagement, the first-of-its-kind, fully Latino-owned agency. Known as one of the most creative Latino filmmakers and media consultants in politics, he has used his distinctive visual style and emotionally poignant ads to win elections at every level of office in the United States and internationally.
He was the lead creative director for Vice President Kamala Harris’s Latino media during her presidential run. Rogero was also the media consultant in the victories of Ruben Gallego, the first Latino Senator from Arizona, and the re-election of Congressman Gabe Vasquez (NM-02). Both races were some of the few wins for Democrats, with Trump winning at the top of the ticket. In addition, he helped elect Congressman Jimmy Gomez and two new State Senators in Florida, who also won in Trump's district. He has created English- and Spanish-language advertising for campaigns in every state in the United States and in multiple countries worldwide.
Historic firsts define Colin’s career. Recently, he was pivotal in the election of Adelita Grijalva, the first Latina Congresswoman from Arizona. He was also instrumental in helping elect the first Latina Democrats to Congress from Texas. The first South American immigrant elected to Congress in U.S. History, and he also elected the first Latina and Black female mayors in Knoxville, Atlanta, Charlotte, and St. Louis.
In addition to his domestic clients and campaigns, Colin has worked extensively in Europe, Mexico, Central America, and South America, notably helping elect Colombia's first woman vice president. Colin’s creativity is also sought after in public affairs work. His corporate clients have included some of the world’s largest companies, including AT&T, Verizon, and Sony.
Colin began his career in Los Angeles, where he was the lead creative on multiple award-winning advertising and film campaigns. For his impact, he’s earned more than 100 creative and strategic awards, including 100 Most Influential Political Consultants in the World, Campaign of the Year, English Language Ad of the Year, Spanish Language Ad of the Year, Best Presidential Ads in English and Spanish, a CLIO and Cannes awards, and the Independent Lens Documentary Award, and many more. Colin was raised in South Florida and currently lives in Houston, TX.
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Marsha Espinosa
Partner
With more than 20 years of experience in national security and congressional and public affairs, Marsha Espinosa has a love for helping others see public policy work, telling compelling stories, and navigating through crises.
Before joining Conexión, Marsha held senior leadership positions at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where she led public affairs strategies for some of our nation ’ s most critical issues, including law enforcement matters, cybersecurity, immigration, border and aviation security, disaster response and recovery, and domestic and international crisis management. She had the privilege of working for three DHS secretaries and is most proud of her efforts to champion the work of DHS employees, including the hardest working K - 9 ’ s you will ever meet.
During her years on Capitol Hill, Marsha served as Senator Dianne Feinstein ’ s Press Secretary, Congresswoman Linda Sánchez ’ Chief of Staff and Communications Director, and Congresswoman Nanette Barragan ’ s Chie f of Staff. She began her career as a waitress: a lifelong dream since the 2 nd grade career fair. Espinosa spent years helping goo d people get elected , and serving in government for her beloved home state of New Mexico under the leadership of Governor Bill Richardson.
Marsha is a graduate of New Mexico State University and received a Masters of Arts in Communication Studies from Texas State University. She is a proud military spouse, whose husband serves as a Master Gunnery Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps.
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Joaquin Guerra
Partner
With more than two decades of experience, Joaquín is a versatile leader, manager, and operative whose work with non-profits, advocacy, and electoral campaigns has been pivotal in building people-powered campaigns that drive political change and social impact.
He most recently served as the National Political Director for the Campaign for Our Shared Future Action Fund. There, he established an Independent Expenditure electoral and candidate endorsement program, focusing on school boards threatened by anti-equity candidates. He concluded his service with over forty victories across nine states.
Born in the borderlands of rural South Texas to farmworker parents, Joaquín has a deeply personal and intersectional understanding of the interplay between narrative, place, power, policy, race, and class. This understanding informs his commitment to breaking down the systemic barriers that hinder progress and hope for underserved communities.
He is a veteran of Senator Bill Bradley and Governor Richardson's presidential campaigns. He has served as a Senior Advisor to Latino Victory and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research on two Mexican electoral campaigns. As a National Education Association’s national political team member, he managed Independent Expenditure (I.E.) programs in four states. He previously managed digital campaigns for MoveOn.org, the Center for Community Change, and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). At SEIU, he developed the online campaign model for stopping the deportations of DREAM Act-eligible students.
A passionate advocate for leadership development, Joaquín co-founded the New Leaders Council chapters in Houston and San Antonio, Texas, and has served as a coach and trainer for the DCCC, New Leaders Council, and previously with the New Organizing Institute and Democracy for America.
Joaquín's contributions to the field have been recognized with the SXSW Social Revolución Mobilizer Award, underscoring his impact in leveraging technology, communications, and organizing for social and electoral impact. He lives in San Antonio, TX, with his wife, dog, and cat.
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Gretchell Trochez
Vice President
Gretchell Trochez is a seasoned political strategist with over a decade of experience shaping southern politics, specializing in fundraising, media strategy, and creative campaigns. She currently serves as Vice President at Conexión, a Latino-owned and led media agency.
At Conexión, she has led creative and media campaigns for organizations such as the Energy Foundation, BlackPac, CWA, and the Born This Way Foundation. Her strategic expertise has also been instrumental in winning challenging races, including the election of Ruben Gallego as the first Latino Senator from Arizona, Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), and two Florida State Senators, all of whom secured victory in Trump districts. In 2024, Trochez also spearheaded the Latino media strategy for the DCCC coordinated campaign.
Before joining Conexión, Trochez played key roles in high-profile political campaigns, serving as Finance Director for Jen Jordan’s 2022 Attorney General race, Florida House Victory (the campaign arm of the Florida House Democrats), and Ruth’s List Florida, an organization dedicated to electing women to local office.
Beyond her professional work, Trochez is deeply involved in community leadership. She currently serves on the board of Out of Hand, chairing its Finance Pillar, and has previously co-chaired the Transformative Narrative Committee of the Georgia Latinx Alliance, the Tampa Bay New Leaders Council, and the UNIDOS Campaign for the Atlanta Area Council of Scouting America. Her contributions to politics and advocacy have earned her recognition as a Rising Star in Florida Politics by INFLUENCE Magazine.
A proud first-generation Honduran-American, Trochez was born and raised in Miami. She now resides in Atlanta, GA, with two pups, Stark and Bennie.
