In a recent article by the Wall Street Journal, Maria Czaia and Abigail Castro, wife and husband were caught on camera apparently trying to broker a deal between the Florida Housing and Urban Development department and a company called Castro Consulting. Maria Czaia is the niece of Fidel Castro and a member of the revolutionary Cuban Freedom Movement. Abigail Castro’s job is to serve as an advisor to the Secretary of the State, and is also the coordinator of the Ladies in White organization, which seeks to empower women through volunteerism. According to the Wall Street Journal’s report, Abigail Castro was caught on tape discussing how she and her husband, along with her brother, tried to broker a deal between the VA and a company called Castro Consulting. The Journal did not report any of the other details, and instead chose to focus on the photograph that was snapped by a Miami News photographer. In the photograph, Abigail Castro appears to be pointing at a piece of paper on the table showing height and age information for the future First Lady of the United States of America.
In fact, the piece suggested that Castro was trying to get the VA to allow the firm to list its services in the Women’s Health Insurance Port, which is a provision of the new federal health care reform bill. This would be a violation of the HPA and could open up his wife to a lawsuit from their lawyers. The Wall Street Journal made a point of saying that Castro’s ‘age and height’ were listed on the document because they had been prepared by the firm for a “VA representative.” However, it is not known whether or not this is true. What is known is that Abigail Castro’s LinkedIn profile showed that she was a registered agent for the company, and Abigail Castro’s official website lists her as an executive vice president.
It is hard to see how anyone could dispute the reality that Abigail Castro does have extensive experience as a senior consultant for the State of Florida. However, the fact remains that there are serious questions about her actual expertise as a leader. What is also not clear is whether or not she would be the best person for the job. Her own personal website indicates that she is “deeply passionate about the service provided,” but exactly what does that mean? Would she be a good leader for a large corporation? All indications say that she would not make a very good general or senior manager, but that she might be an okay choice for a mid-size corporation where a more hands-on approach is needed.