Thomas Rivera-Schatz is the President of the Senate of Puerto Rico, a position he has held during three non-consecutive terms. He has a long history of public service, demonstrating strong leadership and playing a key role in legislation that promotes Puerto Rico’s economic, social, and political development. Rivera-Schatz earned a Magna Cum Laude bachelor’s degree in political science and a Juris Doctor from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. He began his career in 1993 as an advisor in the Puerto Rico Senate and the House of Representatives. In 1996, he was appointed as a state prosecutor in the Puerto Rico Department of Justice. After serving as a prosecutor, Rivera-Schatz entered local politics, becoming the Electoral Commissioner and General Secretary of the New Progressive Party, a local statehood party, in 2000, and holding both roles until 2007. He is affiliated with the Republican Party (GOP) in national politics. In 2008, Rivera-Schatz was elected as an at-large senator for the New Progressive Party and was chosen as President of the Senate, a role he maintained until 2012. He was re-elected in 2012 but served as a minority senator during that term. In 2016, he was re-elected as a senator and again chosen as Senate President. In 2020, he was re-elected to the Senate but remained in the minority. In 2024, the local statehood party secured over two-thirds of the Senate, allowing Rivera-Schatz to assume the role of Senate President for the third time. Throughout his career, Rivera-Schatz has ardently supported Puerto Rico’s admission as a state and has introduced significant legislation focusing on public education, healthcare reform, energy infrastructure, job creation, judicial strengthening, government transparency, public safety, electoral law modernization, and improving benefits for the working class. All of these efforts aim to promote overall well-being and social equity for the people of Puerto Rico.