Jackson grad Maria Rodriguez-Dominguez is helping to strengthen the U.S.-Mexico relationship by promoting cooperation across sectors and inspiring future generations in her home country.
Sharing More Than a Border
Skip to content
In December 2022, the United States marked two centuries of diplomatic relations with Mexico, one of its oldest allies. It was an opportunity for the neighboring countries to celebrate the strong cultural ties between them, with special events held in both nations.
It was an important moment for Maria Rodriguez-Dominguez MA ’17, a political affairs officer at the Embassy of Mexico to the United States in Washington, D.C. She was born in Mexico, has lived and studied in both countries, and now works to keep the bilateral relationship strong.
And it is strong, she assures. “Over 200 years, our countries have built a mutually beneficial partnership,” says Rodriguez-Dominguez.
Mexico is the U.S.’s largest economic partner and a strategic partner in nearshoring — the economic strategy of companies moving manufacturing and production operations closer to consumer markets — and friendshoring, which focuses supply chain networks on political and economic partners. For more than 30 years, the countries have integrated economic efforts, first through NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement), now called the USMCA (U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement).
But it goes well beyond commerce. “There are 38 million U.S. citizens of Mexican origin, and Mexico is the number one destination for American tourists,” says Rodriguez-Dominguez. “We share cultural and social values and a love for our traditional food and drinks. We’re not just partners, we’re neighbors.”
This strong relationship, however, is often overshadowed by other issues, particularly immigration. In her role at the Mexican embassy, Rodriguez-Dominguez is working to shift this narrative. She is helping promote the countries’ shared values of democracy and innovation and deepening the partnership to achieve collective prosperity and stability in the region.
And, on a personal level, she wants Americans to understand the importance of Mexico and its people to the U.S.
“I’m extremely proud to contribute to this partnership that has improved the lives of so many people in both countries,” says Rodriguez-Dominguez. “It’s something I want to continue doing with pride and respect.”
Learning from leading practitioners
Growing up in a rural town near Puebla, about 80 miles south of Mexico City, Rodriguez-Dominguez never expected to pursue a career in diplomacy. A first-generation college student, she attended the Universidad de las Américas Puebla and majored in international relations.
After graduation, Rodriguez-Dominguez got her first taste of Washington, D.C., as an intern at the Organization of American States. It was the start of a career that has now taken her to seven countries.
After completing a graduate degree in comparative politics at the London School of Economics, a friend encouraged Rodriguez-Dominguez to apply to the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she worked for several years as a protocol officer in Mexico City and then as the head of the public affairs and cooperation section at the Consulate of Mexico in São Paulo, Brazil.
In 2015, Rodriguez-Dominguez took a leave of absence to attend graduate school at Yale. The Jackson program offered the practical experience she was looking for.
“I was really looking for a program where I could meet and learn from policy practitioners, because I already had work experience,” she says. “I was also able to tailor my coursework based on my interests and needs, taking classes across the university.”
One class that stood out was a Mexican history course with Gil Joseph, a renowned Yale scholar focused on Latin America. Rodriguez-Dominguez also fondly recalls a class with Rosemary DiCarlo, a past Jackson Senior Fellow and former U.S. ambassador who is now undersecretary for political affairs at the UN.
“Ever since, [DiCarlo] has been my inspiration in my diplomatic career because she was a great professor, a great diplomat, and a great human being,” says Rodriguez-Dominguez.
After Jackson, Rodriguez-Dominguez returned to Mexico City to continue her work with the Mexican Foreign Service. First, she worked with the Mexican Agency for Development Cooperation, analyzing and reviewing projects across Central America related to education, health and the environment, then with the Chief of Staff of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs as an economic advisor.
When the opportunity to be stationed outside of Mexico presented itself, Rodriguez-Dominguez says she was proactive in returning the U.S., particularly Washington.
“I have always been interested in the relationship between Mexico and the U.S.,” she says. “And our embassy [in Washington] is our largest and arguably most important. Every day is very active, and our work has a huge impact.”
Growing as a diplomat and a mentor
In 2022, Rodriguez-Dominguez began a new role as a cooperation affairs officer, helping enhance collaboration between Mexico and the U.S. through initiatives in education, science, technology, and health. She worked with colleges and universities in the U.S. to promote the recruitment of more Mexican students. She partnered with NASA and the American Association for the Advancement of Science in an exchange of ideas and resources.
It’s all part of changing the narrative of the relationship between the neighboring countries — but it also gets at something deeper and more personal for Rodriguez-Dominguez.
“I feel very proud of what I have achieved in my career, but I’m prouder to serve my country and my fellow Mexicans,” she says. “I hope that in the future, I can serve as a mentor for first-generation university students like myself. That is one of my greatest passions.”
That’s already taking shape. While she was working at the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs in Mexico, one of Rodriguez-Dominguez’s colleagues was current Jackson grad student María José Ramírez Rosaslanda, a fellow Mexican who has worked and studied across the world and shares a similar passion for her home country.
When she applied to Jackson, Rodriguez-Dominguez wrote her letter of recommendation.
“Working with Maria was a constant source of inspiration,” says Ramírez Rosaslanda. “I learned from her unstoppable curiosity and her unwavering commitment to our country and to the causes she feels passionate about, ranging from advancing U.S.-Mexico relations to promoting women’s rights in the workplace. As both a mentor and a role model, her influence is profound.”
In January 2024, Rodriguez-Dominguez began a new role as a political affairs officer at the Mexican embassy where she helps analyze the U.S. political climate and relevant events to assist Mexican policymakers. It’s a difficult task that requires building meaningful relationships across sectors and a deep knowledge of the relationship between the two countries — in other words, a perfect fit.
“It’s only been a few months, but I already feel like I’m making a positive impact,” she says. “My previous roles and experiences — they’ve prepared me take on this challenge.”