| As a leader in the civic, corporate, and public sectors, Danny Lopez has spent his 20-year career championing efforts to strengthen families, build communities, and create sound public policy in education, economic development, and healthcare. He and his wife, Sofia, relocated to Indiana from Miami, FL, in 2008 and have chosen Carmel to raise their family. Their two children, Daniel and Alexandra, attend Catholic school in Hamilton County and Sofia is a professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Butler University.
As Vice President for External Affairs and Corporate Communications for Pacers Sports & Entertainment, Danny works with partners across central Indiana to leverage the power of sports to make life better for millions of Hoosiers. He is responsible for setting the public relations strategy for the corporate entity that encompasses the Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever, the Pacers Foundation, Pacers Gaming, Fort Wayne Mad Ants, and operations at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. This includes helping lead the $400m Fieldhouse of the Future renovation project, the second-largest project of its kind in the history of the NBA, as well as efforts to ensure 2024 NBA All-Star leaves a lasting legacy on cities and towns across Indiana.
That commitment to impact is nothing new for Danny. Prior to joining PS&E, Lopez served as Chief of Staff and Senior Vice President at Strada Education Network, an Indianapolis-based, global non-profit organization challenging higher education institutions to better align to the needs of their students. There, Danny worked alongside the CEO and board of directors to develop the company's first state policy strategy, using its substantial philanthropic assets and research team to drive a value proposition in colleges and universities.
Before moving to the private sector, Danny served senior roles under some of Indiana's most respected public servants, including Eric Holcomb, Dan Coats, Mike Pence, and Mitch Daniels.
Danny staffed the transition for Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb and was the Governor's first Deputy Chief of Staff, overseeing State operations, legislative affairs, and intergovernmental relations with cities and towns for the new administration. He also served as chairman of Indiana's Workforce Cabinet, a public-private commission empowered to improve education outcomes across Indiana's K-12, higher education, and workforce training systems. Prior to the 2016 election, Danny served as then-Lieutenant Governor Holcomb's Chief of Staff in the administration of Mike Pence, a role that included oversight of Indiana Agriculture, Tourism, Defense Development, and Rural Affairs.
Danny previously served as State Director for Dan Coats, Indiana's senior United States Senator who later became Director of National Intelligence under President Donal Trump. In that role, he oversaw all state operations, policy, and constituent services for the Senator. Prior to joining the Senator's team in 2013, Lopez served as Special Assistant to Governor Mike Pence and held various agency roles in the administration of Mitch Daniels.
Danny is a two-time recipient of the prestigious Sagamore of the Wabash Award, the highest honor bestowed by Indiana's Governor, and was selected to the Indianapolis Business Journal's 40 Under 40 list for 2015. He is a regular contributor to the Indianapolis Business Journal on public policy matters and serves or has served on numerous boards and commissions, including- The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission for the Supreme Court & Court of Appeals; The Indiana Chamber of Commerce; The Mitch Daniels Leadership Foundation; The Arthur Jordan Foundation; The NBA All-Star 2024 Board of Directors; The Indianapolis 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee; The 2022 Indianapolis College Football Championship Committee; The Urban League of Greater Indianapolis; The Indiana Latino Institute; The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis; The State of Indiana Charter School Board; The City of Bloomington Economic Development Commission; The Boy Scouts of America Crossroads of America Council; St. Joseph's College of Marian University Board of Advisors.
Danny's career began in 2004 as managing partner of Capitol Gains, Corp., a public policy and Spanish-language media relations firm with a client portfolio ranging from national and international candidates to domestic and multi-national corporations. |