Alumni Spotlight

Rolando Gomez '88

United Nations Spokesperson Rolando Gomez '88 began his career in 1992 as an information officer at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where he specialized in peacekeeping.

Reporting directly to then Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Gomez traveled to global "hot spots," such as East Timor in 1999, where he helped the people of this Southeast Asian country as they struggled to break away from Indonesia.

He also spent two years in the East African country of Eritrea, as it emerged from a long border war with Ethiopia.

Shortly after returning from the mission in Eritrea in 2002, Gomez joined the U.N. Office at Geneva (UNOG), the biggest U.N. duty station outside of New York.

"Geneva is the capital of human rights and, although I am a generalist at UNOG now, I mostly work with human rights issues," he explains.

Recently, Gomez joined the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights where he currently serves as Spokesperson for the newly established Human Rights Council responsible for strengthening human rights protection and promotion around the globe.

Now married and a father, Gomez is no longer the world traveler he once was; dangerous missions are a thing of the past.

Born in Peru and raised in New York, he says that he grew up in an "international" household and speaks English, Spanish and French.

Gomez attributes his successful career to a passion for writing and an expertise in communications strategies. He learned a lot, he says, in a Stonehill course, "Persuasion and Propaganda," taught by retired Professor Charles Curran.

"If you are interested in joining the U.N., " he advises students, "know your constituency, and get out into the field." Being multilingual is also important. "But whatever your chosen direction," he advises, "study hard, choose your path well, and stay true to your beliefs."

-- Adapted from Stonehill Alumni Magazine, Winter 2007