Ex-Guam senator Castro is Torres’ new chief of staff

Gov. Ralph DLG Torres has appointed former Guam senator William “Wil” Mendiola Castro as chief of staff for the CNMI Office of the Governor, effective last Friday.

Torres said Castro is no stranger to the CNMI as he had served as director of Institutional Effectiveness at the Northern Marianas College where he oversaw the successful lifting of NMC’s show-cause status and reaffirmed its accreditation.

Castro is a former senator in the 34th and 35th Guam Legislature. He has extensive public service experience with the Government of Guam, having served as director of the Bureau of Statistics and Plans, the central planning authority of Guam, and as a Cabinet official and senior adviser to former Guam governor Eddie Calvo. He also served on several national, regional, and territorial policy and planning bodies relative to oceans, fisheries, coastal and coral matters.

Torres said that, as a senator, Castro is credited, along with the late Rep. Ivan A. Blanco, for having played instrumental roles in the establishment of the Marianas Working Group between the offices of the governors of Guam and the CNMI, with the participation of both territories’ legislatures.

Castro

“Wil has played an instrumental role in building bridges within the Marianas. He is no outsider, as he has served our Northern Marianas College and championed one of the most successful intergovernmental initiatives between the CNMI and Guam with the establishment of the Marianas Working Group, which was critical in economic collaboration and in our immediate recovery during Super Typhoon Yutu,” Torres said.

The governor said Castro is exceedingly qualified, and that he looks forward to having him serve the community as his chief of staff.

Castro has worked under both Republican and Democratic leaders in Guam and has focused on creating collaborative solutions across party lines.

Rep. Sheila J. Babauta (D-Saipan) said Castro is a solid pick as he is able to work with all stakeholders regardless of party.

“As senior adviser to a governor, it is clear that he understands the challenges facing the Marianas. Definitely a big picture thinker,” said Babauta in a statement.

House of Representatives minority leader Rep. Angel A. Demapan (R-Saipan) in a statement said Castro is his personal friend, and that they had several opportunities to work together on Marianas initiatives during his (Demapan) tenure as chief of staff.

“He is a trusted and respected leader across the Marianas, and I am excited to see him bring more positive results as he fills the position I left behind this past January to serve my third term in the House of Representatives,” said Demapan, who was appointed by Torres as chief of staff in January 2019.

Castro is a Grand Knight and 4th Degree Knight in the Knights of Columbus, an active community volunteer in Guam, and has represented Guam in several government boards., including the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, the U.S Coral Reef Task Force, and the Commission on Decolonization.

According to press secretary Kevin Bautista, Castro received his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Guam, a master’s degree from Harvard University, and attained doctoral candidate status at Columbia University.

Castro holds certifications from Stanford University, teaching certifications, and in sexual harassment awareness.

Bautista said Castro is engaged to Dr. Debra Tudela Cabrera of Saipan, a former dean of Academic Programs at NMC and a former member of the White House Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. She is currently a tenure-track professor at the University of Guam. Castro and Cabrera are raising four children: Ashley, Cameren, Liam, and Mariana.