Cross-Border Conference

July 27th - 31st, 2025‍
Conrad Resort
Punta de Mita, Mexico

Why is so much business conducted half a world away in often adversarial countries?

Following the success of first two years of the “Make It With Mexico” conference, the Independent Voter Project is bringing even more stakeholders together for 2025.

Legislators and industry experts, from both sides of the border, will discuss complex business and policy considerations around a simple idea:

We Should: Make It With Mexico.

The Make it with Mexico conference is modeled after the Independent Voter Project’s Business and Leadership Conference, held each year in Hawaii for the last two decades.

We encourage participants to bring their families, to stay the weekend, and to dress casual.

The Independent Voter Project believes that a more relaxed setting encourages more open conversation, honest dialogue, and more opportunities to build the authentic relationships necessary to advance good ideas.

Join us. Let’s Make It With Mexico.

2025 LEGISLATIVE HOSTS

Assm. Blanca Pacheco, CA

Chair, California RULES CommitteE

Assemblymember Blanca Pacheco currently serves as the Chair of the California Rules Committee. She was elected to the California State Assembly in 2022 to represent Southwestern Los Angeles and holds a Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School.

Blanca's career includes impactful roles such as the Mayor of Downey and as a successful practicing attorney, always maintaining a deep-rooted commitment to public service. As the daughter of a nurse and a bus driver, combined with her experience in municipal law and community development, she has become a leading advocate for fostering cross-border economic and policy discussions between California and Mexico.

Blanca Pacheco, Make it With Mexico Legilsative Host

Sen. Brian Jones, CA

California Senate Minority Leader

Brian has served in the California State Senate since 2018. He is the current Senate Minority Leader of the California Senate Republican Caucus. He also serves as the co-Chair of the Senate Outdoor Sporting Caucus. In the Senate, he has sponsored legislation that tackles homelessness, keeps our communities safe, lowers the cost of living, and removes bureaucratic barriers for businesses and Californians.

Brian W. Jones was born on a military base in Austin, TX, and his family moved from Colorado to San Diego County when he was ten years old. He attended Grossmont College and earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at San Diego State University.

HOST COMMITTEE

Denise Ducheny

Former State Senator
‍

Roberto Moreno

Binational Liaison

Juan Manuel Hernandez Niebla

Former State Citizen's Security Council President

Steve Peace

Former CA Director of Finance

Stephen Walker

Director of Correctional Health
CCPOA

Juanita Martinez

CEO, Martinez Consulting

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Make it With Mexico conference is an educational conference for legislators and industry representatives. Lobbying is strictly prohibited. Rather, the intimate format of the conference, and familial participation throughout, is designed to encourage authentic conversation and relationship building.

The conference is modeled after the Independent Voter Project’s successful Business and Leadership Conference held for the last 18 years. Throughout those years, the most productive and impactful issue-tables are those that throw away the powerpoint presentations, in favor of conversation you would have at your dinner table.

The conference is an opportunity for those in industry and government to identify win-win-win opportunities; those that are good for electeds, business, and everyday people on both sides of the border.

Meet our

EVENT MANAGEMENT TEAM

Contact the Events team at [email protected].

Kaia Los Huertos Malham, Event Manager
Chad Peace, Host Committee Representative - US
Juan M. Hernandez, Host Committee Representative - MX