President Barack Obama nominated María Echaveste as ambassador of the United States in Mexico, who served as advisor to former president Bill Clinton and as Deputy Chief of Staff  during his term.

In 2009, she was named by Obama as special representative to Bolivia.

Prior to joining the Clinton Administration, she served as administrator of the wage division of the Department of Labor.

Echavaste began her career as a corporate litigation attorney after she graduated from Stanford University the University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

She is currently Advisor at NVG, a company she co-founded in 2001, and lecturer and fellow at the Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute on Law and Social Policy at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. 

Echavaste, who is 60 years old, was born in Texas from Mexican parents. 

If confirmed by the Senate, she would replace current ambassador Anthony Wayne.