Global Communications Leader Returns to Georgetown to Complete the Degree He Started Over 30 Years Ago

After decades away from the classroom, Federico Sainz de la Maza (SFS'26) has returned to SFS with a perspective shaped by experience and a curiosity that has only deepened over time.

Born in Coral Gables, Florida, to Cuban-American parents, Sainz de la Maza grew up navigating multiple cultures from an early age. Spanish was his first language, and he learned English at age five by watching Sesame Street. That bicultural upbringing would later shape both his academic interests and his professional life, grounding his work in questions of identity, policy and global systems.

Sainz de la Maza's academic journey at SFS actually began much earlier than his peers. "I started out as a Latin American Studies major back in the 90s. Given that my parents are Cuban immigrants to the U.S., I wanted to learn more about my heritage," he says.

After a 30-year hiatus spent in the professional world, he is now retired and is getting ready to complete his degree, this time in international history (IHIS).

Before returning to Georgetown, Sainz de la Maza built a career at the intersection of communications, public service and advocacy. He began his professional journey in Washington, DC, working in the White House during the early years of President George H.W. Bush's administration. Over time, his work evolved into a leading role in national advocacy, including at the Human Rights Campaign, where he helped shape some of the most visible public-facing efforts in the fight for equality. Most recently, he was senior director of Global Corporate Communications at Apple, where he led communications strategy across some of the company's most high-profile businesses, products and issues.

From national advocacy to the classroom

At the Human Rights Campaign, Sainz de la Maza worked on high-profile national campaigns that helped define public discourse around LGBTQ+ rights. During the lead-up to the Supreme Court's landmark marriage equality decisions, he contributed to communications strategies that elevated the issue to a national audience, helping drive widespread engagement across media, digital platforms and grassroots activism.

These efforts reached millions. From coordinating messaging to amplifying stories that resonated across political and cultural lines, his work reflected a broader goal: making complex policy debates accessible and human.

That experience now informs the way he approaches his studies.

"IHIS is where curiosity meets rigor," he says. "Every class challenged me to ask not just what happened, but why-and that question has changed the way I see the world."

A different kind of Georgetown story

Sainz de la Maza's return to Georgetown for a second time was not out of necessity, but out of a desire to learn. His experience as a nontraditional student has given him a distinct perspective on the SFS environment.

"What stands out most is the intellectual curiosity of my fellow students," he says. "I'm lucky enough to go to school with some of the brightest people I've ever had the good fortune to meet."

Despite being older than many of his peers, he has found the transition seamless. In many ways, his time away has made the experience more meaningful.

"The past year has been full of 'a-ha' moments," he explains. "I would have been satisfied learning one new thing a day, but I've had the good fortune to learn at least 10 new things every day, and for that, I will always be grateful."

Sainz de la Maza's academic journey reflects a deep connection between personal identity and scholarly inquiry. Matriculating originally as a Latin American studies major in the 1990s to better understand his heritage, his shift to international history, broadens his focus while maintaining those personal ties.

One course, Making Nations in Latin America, taught by Professor Erick Langer, stood out in particular.

"Having been at Georgetown for 27 years, Professor Langer is a legend, a wonderful human being and a great professor. I learned a tremendous amount about Latin America that applied directly to my other coursework," Sainz de la Maza says.

His experience underscores a defining feature of the SFS curriculum: the ability to bridge lived experience with rigorous academic analysis.

Mentorship and the SFS community

For Sainz de la Maza, mentorship has been central to his Georgetown experience. Rather than identifying a single advisor, he describes each professor as playing a meaningful role in his academic development.

"Part of the experience for me has been to learn things big and small along the way," he says. "I'm forever grateful to professors who have believed in me and given that extra bit of encouragement."

He also values the structure of the SFS itself: a small, tight-knit academic community within a larger university and a global city.

"The personalized attention all students receive is one of the school's most important distinguishing characteristics," he explains.

Learning without limits

Unlike many student experiences shaped by internships and career timelines, Sainz de la Maza's time at Georgetown is defined by intellectual exploration. Having spent years working where he often balanced professional responsibilities with personal commitments, he now approaches education with a different mindset.

For him, learning is not a means to an end, but an end in itself.

That perspective has allowed him to fully immerse himself in the classroom, engaging with ideas in a way that feels both intentional and deeply fulfilling. Inspired by his academic experience, he will continue his education at the graduate level, beginning a new chapter at Columbia University for graduate school in the fall.

One lesson, in particular, has stayed with him: the importance of questioning assumptions.

"I had a professor last semester who encouraged students to virtually never accept things at face value and keep asking why. That advice has served me well, and it's one of the many gifts I will take with me," he says.

His experience highlights what makes Georgetown distinctive: a place where intellectual curiosity is not limited by age, background or career stage, but is instead something that continues to evolve.

Reflecting on his journey, Sainz de la Maza offers a simple but meaningful piece of advice to his first-year self-and to current Georgetown students.

"Don't be in such a rush-enjoy the ride."