Rafael L. González is a M.S. in Foreign Service candidate, concentrating in Global Politics and Security, with additional certifications in Diplomatic Studies, and Latin American Studies. His research focuses on U.S.-Latin America relations and the nexus between national security and migration policy. Currently, he serves as an editorial and research assistant at Georgetown’s Institute for the Study of Diplomacy. Previously, he was a graduate teaching assistant for Dr. William Schlickenmaier, worked as Congressman Thanedar's Homeland Security aide at the House of Representatives, interned at U.S. diplomatic missions in Madrid and the European Union, and worked as a paralegal in Spain.

A recipient of the Department of State's Charles B. Rangel Fellowship, he will join the U.S. Foreign Service upon graduation. Rafael holds a dual bachelor’s degree in Law and International Relations from Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Spain), with coursework at the University of California, Berkeley. He is a native Spanish speaker, fluent in French, and has studied Italian.