WASHINGTON, D.C. – Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, a full-service national law firm with offices from coast to coast, is pleased to welcome Mario Cardona as a partner in the Washington, D.C. office with EducationCounsel, LLC. EducationCounsel is a mission-based education organization that combines experience in policy, strategy, law, and advocacy to drive significant improvements in the U.S. education system to help all children thrive. Before joining the firm, Cardona served as Senior Advisor for Early Childhood Development and Education on the White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC). Cardona also previously served as the founding director of policy and a professor of practice with the Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University.

“We are thrilled to have Mario join our firm to work on early childhood and K-12 matters,” said Scott Palmer, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of EducationCounsel. “He is a recognized leader with extensive experience in education law and policy and will elevate our team’s mission and enhance our impact.”

Cardona assumed his role as Senior Advisor for the DPC in 2022. He held a similar position during the final two years of the Obama Administration focused primarily on advancing K-12 education. During his tenure with the Biden-Harris administration, he played a pivotal role in shaping and executing the President’s early childhood agenda. He co-developed and led the implementation of the President’s Executive Order to Increase Access to High-Quality Care and Support Caregivers, which included more than 50 executive actions designed to lower costs for families and improve job quality for care workers. The Executive Order has been described as the most comprehensive set of actions any President has ever taken to improve the care economy. Cardona is one of only a few individuals to have led education initiatives for the DPC under two presidents in its 33-year history.

"It is uncommon to find a law firm that combines deep policy expertise with legal excellence to promote equitable opportunities for those who need them most,” Cardona said. “I am thrilled to join Nelson Mullins and am eager to contribute to the impactful work of EducationCounsel, a leading practice dedicated to driving systemic improvements that help all learners thrive."

Prior to joining the Biden Administration, Cardona was the Chief of Policy, Practice and Research for Child Care Aware of America. He also previously served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, where he steered the passage of the Child Care Development Block Grant Act of 2014, a law that comprehensively updated the quality and safety standards in federally-subsidized child care for the first time in nearly 20 years.

Cardona earned his J.D. from George Washington University School of Law, with honors, and also has a master’s degree in education from Harvard University. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

Cardona joins a number of education leaders hired by EducationCounsel in the last two years, including Dr. Zakiya Smith Ellis, Dr. Edward Smith, and Reginald Nash. EducationCounsel was co-founded by Nelson Mullins partner Dick Riley, former Governor of South Carolina and U.S. Secretary of Education.