Julián Castro thinks that Washington can do more. As Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Castro is ensuring that HUD is a transparent, efficient and effective champion for the people it serves. Utilizing an evidence-based management style, he has charged the Department with one goal: giving every person, regardless of their station in life, new opportunities to thrive. Before HUD, Castro served as Mayor of the City of San Antonio. In 2010, the City launched the "Decade of Downtown", an initiative to spark investment in San Antonio's center city and older neighborhoods.

In March 2010, Castro was named to the World Economic Forum's list of Young Global Leaders and Time magazine placed him on its "40 under 40" list of rising stars in American politics. Castro received a B.A. from Stanford University in 1996, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 2000.