Bio
Neri Martinez is a results-oriented executive and experienced strategist having served in senior leadership in the U.S. Senate, Senate Committees and as a political appointee in the U.S. Department of Energy. She is recognized for recommending the actions able to yield the most value within the elements of time, resource, and reputation. With political and diplomatic insight, Neri builds bipartisan cooperation among elected and senior government officials. As a communications expert, she can expand and advance cross-cultural and diverse initiatives to grow organizations. Her strategic perspective, political acumen, and ability to leverage networks to build consensus for action are hallmarks of her career.
As a Senior Government Relations Consultant at Becker & Poliakoff, Neri uses her expertise in the policy and political arena to assess client needs and offer brand lobbying solutions to maximize relationships and strategic goals for the client partners. Her combined first-hand working knowledge of federal and state governments and deep understanding of the legislative process informs her approach to client engagements.
Previously, Neri served as Chief of Staff for U.S. Senator Tim Scott. She navigated the high-pressured environment while leading the 50-person staff across the D.C. and South Carolina (3) office operations, during the Senator’s presidential bid. She was also Staff Director for Ranking Member Tim Scott at the Senate Committee on Aging and created the structure for his inaugural role in committee leadership. Neri’s success relied on her ability to clearly and persuasively advocate on a range of issues to create bipartisan consensus.
Earlier, she was a U.S Department of Energy political appointee under both Secretary Rick Perry and Secretary Dan Brouillette, serving as Chief of Staff for the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity to the Honorable James E. Campos. Prior to her government service, Neri was the Executive Director of the Republican State Leadership Committee’s (RSLC) Future Majority Project and Hispanic Outreach Director in North Carolina for the Republican National Committee (RNC) during the 2012 presidential cycle. Formerly, Neri served in the government affairs department of the Associated Builders and Contractors, an association in which she was a member while leading business development for KONE Elevators Inc.
She has been a keynote speaker, panelist, and moderator of 60 forums and featured on various media platforms. She is also a published author of articles related to human rights in Cuba and the post-pandemic threat of China in Latin America and an alumna of over a dozen notable international and domestic fellowship programs.
In recognition of her leadership and outstanding service, Neri has received numerous awards including the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute’s (CHLI) Stephen Vermillion Congressional Staff Appreciation Award in 2022, El Tiempo Latino Top 100 “Powermeter” list in 2019, Latino Leaders Magazine’s list of “Washington, DC Emerging Leaders” in 2016, Maverick PAC’s “40 Under 40” list in 2015, and the RNC Co-Chair’s “Women of Washington” Susan B. Anthony Award in 2014.
Neri holds a Global Master of Arts (M.A.) from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in International Business Honors and Political Science from Florida International University’s (FIU) College of Business. She is currently pursuing a Masters of Defense and Strategic Studies at the U.S. Naval War College and a Graduate Certificate in Strategic Leadership from the American Military University. Her educational background also includes certificates in Cybersecurity and Strategic Leadership from FIU’s Jack D. Gordon School of Public Policy and one in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University. She is fluent in Spanish (her native language) and French, having studied in Paris, France at the Institut d’Etudes Supérieures des Arts (I.E.S.A.) and Ecole des Roches (PERL). Neri lives in Washington DC.