Geronimo M. Rodriguez Jr. currently serves as Vice President of Advocacy and External Affairs with Seton Healthcare Family in Austin, Texas. He joined the Seton Family in June 2006 to help expand efforts across the healthcare system in the areas of diversity, inclusion, cultural competence, federal contract compliance, workforce development and civic engagement.
Mr. Rodriguez has served as an Adjunct Faculty member at the LBJ School of Public Affairs teaching US Latino Policy Issues and as an Adjunct Faculty member at St. Edward’s University focused on Political Leadership, Political Management/Managing Crisis and Mass Media and Politics. Mr. Rodriguez has over twenty three years of public service experience advising federal, state and local elected officials and helping manage presidential, gubernatorial, and attorney general campaigns.
Mr. Rodriguez also served in the White House Office of Congressional Affairs where he helped in legislative preparations for the Seattle Round of the World Trade Organization. In addition, he served as Deputy Associate Director and later Acting Associate Director in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel where he was responsible for recommending a third of the President’s senior level appointments. He was also responsible for advising senior White House staff on appointments affecting the Hispanic community.
Mr. Rodriguez is currently a member of the Seton Board of Trustees Justice in the Workplace Committee and the Ascension Health Leadership Academy. He serves as Co-Chair of the Healthcare Workforce Alliance of Central Texas, a collaboration between health care and academia focused on the nursing/allied health pipeline and inspiring the next generation of healthcare professionals. He also serves as Chair of Leadership Austin, Board Member of the Impact Center, Board Member of PeopleFund, Member of the Austin Area Research Organization and Immediate Past Chair of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he serves as Chair of the Development Committee and is an Executive Committee Board Member of KLRU-TV, the local public television station. Finally, he serves as a Texas Advisory Board Member for Environmental Defense, Tri-Chair of the AISD Performing Arts Center Task Force, and is an alumni of the Texas Lyceum and the FBI Citizen’s Academy.
Mr. Rodriguez is co-author of the Diversity chapter in Hospitals: What They Are and How They Work. In January 2014, he received the Education Service Award from the San Juan Diego Catholic High School for his support of placing work study students at Seton Healthcare Family. In September 2008, he received the Syracuse University Chancellor’s Citation for achievement in public service. In May 2007, he was chosen one of 25 Young Americans to participate in the American Swiss Foundation Young Leaders Conference in Thun, Switzerland. In March 2007, he received the Austin Under 40 Award for Government/Political Affairs. He was named a 2006 and 2005 Rising Star by Texas Monthly. In 2001, he received the St. Edward’s University Alumni Achievement Award. Mr. Rodriguez also served as Student Body President of St. Edward’s University.
As a child, Mr. Rodriguez spent eight months of each year as a migrant farmworker traveling with his parents from South Texas to the Northwest United States following the harvest seasons. His parents continue to harvest crops in Oregon.
Mr. Rodriguez, a native of Alamo, Texas, graduated from St. Edward’s University with a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, where he received a four year academic scholarship and a College Assistance Migrant Program Scholarship. Mr. Rodriguez also attended the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and received his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law.
