Luisa F. Cardona Confirmed as Assistant Chief Administrative Officer

The Montgomery County Council voted unanimously to confirm Luisa F. Cardona as Assistant Chief Administrative Officer (ACAO).

The ACAOs support Chief Administrative Officer Richard Madaleno in supervising the daily operations and performance of County government and its departments and agencies.

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“With Luisa joining our leadership team as Assistant Chief Administrative Officer, I am confident that we will continue to make significant strides in fostering a more equitable and prosperous future for Montgomery County,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Her dedication to improving government through transparent communication, sustained stakeholder engagement, and empowering diverse communities will be an asset to our community.”

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Cardona most recently served as director of the Mid-County Regional Service Office for Montgomery County, overseeing a diverse region of residents. In that role, Cardona advised the County Executive and County Council on community-centered policies and managed the Wheaton Urban District team.

She previously served as the deputy director and interim director for the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. She was a key policy expert on immigration and equity issues, overseeing programmatic implementation, service delivery, and office operations, including managing a $2 million budget and supervising an eight-person team focused on power building among Atlanta’s immigrant communities.

Cardona has a strong background in legal advocacy and community engagement. She previously served as a staff attorney for Access to Law and a law fellow/staff attorney for CASA de Maryland, where she provided direct legal counsel and policy advocacy for indigent clients in immigration, employment, housing, and education matters. She is an attorney and a member of the Maryland and Georgia bars and has served as a Spanish media spokesperson for local, national, and international media outlets.

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Cardona is assuming the role of Sonia Mora, who recently retired as ACAO. County Executive Elrich has nominated Nestor Alvarenga to fill the Regional Services position in Mid-County.