HispanicBusiness

In 1987, Maria Rodriguez co-founded Vanguard Communications, a full-service public relations firm committed exclusively to the promotion of social issues. Her vision was to challenge and inspire others to make a difference in the world.

Sixteen years later, Maria is president and sole owner of the firm she helped create, and her efforts to influence social issues through communications have had significant impacts on her employees, her community and society as a whole.

At Vanguard, Maria leads a team of more than 30 public relations and communications professionals who work to advance change in areas such as health, sustainable agriculture, environmental protection, education and consumer rights. In recognition of Vanguard’s "measurable growth and undeniable integrity," PR Week selected Vanguard as the Mid-Size PR Agency of the Year 2003, and in the same competition, Vanguard became the first Hispanic woman-owned firm to earn the highly coveted PR Week PR Agency of the Year 2003 award.

Maria has extensive experience in public relations, social marketing, and advocacy communications and has managed numerous campaigns for nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Her expertise includes strategic planning, culturally competent communications, media relations, alliance building, and event management.

Maria has also been the media director of a national public relations firm. In that position, she managed and implemented consumer education initiatives on behalf of the National Institutes of Health’s high blood pressure control and cancer prevention programs; promoted education issues for national trade associations; and conducted media outreach and public service advertising campaigns.

In all of her work, the importance of culture and family has played a special role in Maria’s career. As a Hispanic business owner, she wants to encourage women of color to consider entrepreneurial career options. She has remained steadfastly dedicated to culturally competent communications practices, and serves on an advisory board at Georgetown University to increase cultural competence in the service of children with mental health needs and their families.

She is a first generation American whose Spanish parents immigrated to the United States in 1957 from Venezuela. She graduated from George Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.