Luisa Gándara

Luisa "Piti" Gándara Menéndez is a Puerto Rican politician and wife of former Governor of Puerto Rico Aníbal Acevedo Vilá. As Acevedo Vilá's wife, Gándara served as First Lady from 2005 to 2009. In 2013, Gándara was elected by the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) to fill the vacancy left by Jorge Colberg Toro as representative at-large in the 29th House of Representatives.

Luisa Gándara
At-Large Member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives
In office
March 13, 2013 – January 2, 2017
11th First Lady of Puerto Rico
In role
January 2, 2005 - January 2, 2009
GovernorAníbal Acevedo Vilá
Preceded bySila María and María Elena González Calderón
Succeeded byLucé Vela
Personal details
Spouse(s)Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Puerto Rico
University of Florida
ProfessionTeacher/ Educator IBM Systems/Education Specialist

Early years and studies

Gándara studied first at the University of Puerto Rico, and then completed a Master's degree at the University of Florida.

Professional career

Gándara worked as a high school teacher and as an executive at a multinational information technology firm.

Political career

First Lady: 2005-2009

Following the tradition of previous Puerto Rico First Ladies, Gándara refrained from holding a remunerative job while a resident of La Fortaleza. As First Lady, she dedicated much of her attention to educational issues. She developed two reading programs: Lee y Sueña and Rincón de la Lectura. The first managed to donate 60,000 books to children, while the second sparked the creation of 50 reading centers around the island.[1] The programs received national recognition, including an Innovations Award from the Council of State Governments, and an award from the Ibero-American Council in Honor of Educational Quality.[2]

Active in her husband's successful Congressional campaign in 2000 and his campaign for governor in 2004, Gándara was heavily involved in his reelection bid in 2008 and supported him during a federal trial against him.

Representative aspirations: 2013

In March 2013, Gándara presented her candidacy to fill a vacant slot at the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico.[3] She was elected during an internal election within the party on March 13, 2013.[4]

Personal life

Gándara and Acevedo Vilá have two children: Gabriela, a Harvard University student, and Juan Carlos, a student at the University of Puerto Rico.

In 2011, Gándara confirmed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.[5]

Awards and recognitions
  • Council of State Governments State Innovations Award[6] - for a reading program that she developed as First Lady
  • Premio Iberoamericano Excelencia Academica 2008 (in Guayaquil, Ecuador) for promoting early childhood Education Program
  • NGA
gollark: Maybe it'll have more funlolz™ and whatever over a random reasonably priced one but frankly I doubt it's enough to justify the cost.
gollark: I doubt you'll get 200 kilodollars in financial benefit from it.
gollark: We know what you did.
gollark: Hi?
gollark: > harvard isn't a german universittyYET.

References
  1. "Luisa Piti Gándara anuncia que tiene cáncer del seno". El Nuevo Día. September 7, 2011.
  2. "Primera Dama gana premio iberoamericano". WAPA-TV. 6/8/08. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. Rosario, Frances (March 7, 2013). "Al ruedo Piti Gándara". El Nuevo Día.
  4. Peña, Brenda (March 13, 2013). "Piti Gándara se convierte en la nueva legisladora del PPD". El Nuevo Día.
  5. Ex primera dama Piti Gándara confirma padece de cáncer on Primera Hora (September 7, 2011)
  6. http://www.csg.org/programs/innovations.aspx
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Sila María González Calderón
and
María Elena González Calderón		 First Lady of Puerto Rico
2005–2009		 Succeeded by
Lucé Vela
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