Rosie Rios was chair of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission during the central America250 planning period.
Rios is an American businesswoman and public official who served as the 43rd treasurer of the United States from 2009 to 2016. President Joe Biden appointed her to the semiquincentennial commission, and she became its chair as preparations intensified for the 2026 anniversary.
As chair, Rios represented the commission’s effort to organize a nationwide, nonpartisan commemoration rather than a single ceremony in Washington. America250 programs emphasized civic participation, history, education, service, and local events across the country.
Her role is sometimes confused with that of the president, the White House task force, or the leaders of individual state commissions. Those bodies had separate responsibilities. The United States Semiquincentennial Commission was the congressional organization associated with the America250 national effort.