Join the TJLC for an Interview Prep Workshop!
This interactive workshop, led by Alex Rodriguez, is designed to help students build the skills they need to secure interviews and present themselves confidently when they do. Through targeted activities, students will learn to:
- Align your resume with job descriptions.
- Use the STAR method for structured responses.
- Identify unique words to describe your skills effectively.
The hands-on session will encourage active participation and provide practical strategies to apply immediately. Please bring your resume or laptop to participate fully in the exercises.
Alex's Biography
Alex Rodriguez is a sought-after entrepreneur and business executive who has raised millions of dollars for innovative technology companies. He is currently President & Chief Executive Officer of FreeFall 5G, Inc., an early-stage disruptive 5G antenna technology company helping accelerate global 5G ubiquity. Alex formerly served as Vice President of Government & External Relations and Chief of Staff at Vector Launch, Inc., where he helped the Founding Team raise over $103M and win the first major government contract for small-class launch rockets. Alex led Vector’s external relationships with international, national, state and local jurisdictions and spearheaded investor relations.
Previously, Alex served as Vice President of the Arizona Technology Council, where he turned around and expanded Southern Arizona operations, providing strategic value to over 800 technology businesses and organizations, including Optics Valley Arizona. Alex served as Facilitator of the exclusive Arizona Aerospace, Aviation, and Defense CEO Network. Alex earned his Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government with concentrations in International Trade and Finance and International Security in 1997. He obtained his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Arizona in 1994 and is a graduate of the New Mexico Military Institute. He completed Army ROTC as a Distinguished Military Graduate, becoming an Army Officer at twenty years of age in 1991. Alex is a Woodrow Wilson Fellow and completed a rigorous public policy institute at the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management of Carnegie Mellon University in 1993.
Alex held significant leadership roles in business development and strategic planning for three Fortune 500 companies. At Raytheon, Alex led a half-billion-dollar spend portfolio in supply chain management. He led the national team that won a new multi-million dollar cooperative contract at W. W. Grainger, Inc. Alex served on the Board of Trustees of a 60M privately held ESOP. A former Term Member of the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations, Alex served as a U.S. Department of Defense International Policy Advisor, Country Director, and Special Assistant at the Pentagon, entering federal service by appointment as a Presidential Management Fellow. Locally, Alex was elected to serve on the Governing Board of the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) where he served as Board President, Clerk and Member of the Board. In 2006, Alex announced his candidacy for U.S. Congress, losing the election to Congresswoman Gabby Giffords.
Over the millennium, Alex was mobilized as a Captain in the U.S. Army for a tour of duty in support of Operation Joint Forge, the U.S. Peacekeeping Mission in Bosnia & Herzegovina. His military decorations include the Secretary of Defense Meritorious Service Medal, NATO Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" Device, Army Achievement Medal (2nd Oak Leaf Cluster), National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Airborne Parachutist Badge. After college, Alex worked at the Arizona State Senate, the United Nations Association in New York City, and with the U.S. State Department at the U.S. Embassy in El Salvador.
Alex was inducted into the Nogales High School Hall of Fame and named to the Arizona Daily Star 40 Under 40 Class in 2009. Alex appeared regularly on KMSB TV Fox News 11, providing expert commentary on economic, political, and societal issues. The son of a first-generation working-class family, Alex was raised as the youngest of ten children and was the first child with the privilege to graduate from college. He is an avid reader and enjoys playing racquetball and playing the drums in his free time. Alex is married to the former Claudia Araiza, and they are the proud parents of Salpointe High 10th grader Emi Sofia, an avid national ballet performer, and Alexander, their four-year-old who is reportedly the one in charge at home!