Councilmember Rafael Lopez – District 5
Liaison: Events Veteran’s Day
Councilmember Rafael Lopez was born in Havana, Cuba and came to the United States in 1962, at age five. He resided in Miami-Dade and Broward County, Florida and has been in Estero, part-time, then full-time since 2008. He is a devoted Husband, Father, and Grandfather.
Rafael is a United States Marine Corps veteran.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree, in Criminal Justice, from Florida International University and is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute’s 22nd Command Officer’s Development Program and Nova Southeastern University’s Institute for Criminal Justice Studies 14th Executive Leadership Program.
Rafael served for 33 years as a law enforcement officer in Dade and Broward County, retiring in 2016 with the rank of Lieutenant.
He also worked for MasterCard International as an International Security Officer. His region included the Southeast United States, South and Central America, and the Caribbean.
He served on the Stoneybrook of Estero’s Homeowner’s Association Board of Directors from 2018 to 2020 and was the Stoneybrook of Estero Safety Committee Chairman. He remained on the Safety Committee, until 2022.
Rafael has been involved with many professional and community organizations throughout his career:
- International Association of Credit Card Investigators, Florida Chapter President.
- ASPIRA of Florida Board of Directors.
- Appointed to the Broward County Diversity Advisory Council.
- Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Coalition of Broward County, Board of Directors.
- Appointed to the Broward County School District ESOL Leadership Council.
- Cuban Americans for a Better Florida, Co-Founder and Chair.
- The Hispanic Vote of Broward County, Co-Founder and Chair.
- Lee County School District Minority Recruitment and Retention Committee.
- Lee County School District Calendar Committee.
- The Hispanic Vote of Southwest Florida, Co-Founder and Chair.
- Ambassador with Collier-Lee Honor Flight.
- Appointed to the U.S Service Academy Selection Advisory Panel, for the 19th Congressional District.
- Lee County School District, Superintendent’s Executive Roundtable.
Term: 2023-2027
Phone: 239-326-3605
Email: lopez@estero-fl.gov
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