Member Spotlight on . . . Roberto Rosas
July/August 2025
You just got back from attending Council events in Brussels. How was it?
The Public Affairs Forum and the Brussels Study Tour were remarkable. They gave me a far better understanding of the policy ecosystem in Europe and, going forward, I will be better able to engage with our relevant partners and key stakeholders there. I gleaned valuable insights and enjoyed meeting public affairs professionals from across the globe. This is immensely helpful for me, because at The Institute of Internal Auditors, I support a network of members in 116 countries.
How many languages did you get to speak in Brussels?
I speak five languages — Spanish, English, French, Italian, and Portuguese — and I’m now learning a sixth. While I was at the Public Affairs Forum in Brussels, I actually got to speak all of them in less than an hour. This shows how cosmopolitan Brussels — and the Council — can be.
What’s the language you’re learning now?
My partner is from Poland, so I have been learning Polish so I can bond more meaningfully with her and her family.
To what do you attribute this interest in and mastery of languages?
My parents always encouraged it. They are from Mexico. My father was a professor of statistics in Mexico, but when the peso was devaluated in the 1980s and Mexican universities had a hard time making payroll, the family moved to San Diego. There, my dad is in the import/export business, dealing in industrial supplies. I attended the Japanese School in San Diego on Saturdays as a kid, but I really caught the language-learning bug after I studied French and did a semester abroad in Grenoble, France. I’ve been doing this all my life.
But your undergraduate concentration was in accounting?
That’s right. At San Diego State, I majored in accounting, because, I reasoned, accounting is the language of business. I also studied accounting at the Cambridge Judge Business School in England. I am now pursuing a dual degree program, comprised of a master’s in national security policy and a master’s in tech policy from the RAND School of Public Policy. That’s the federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) just “steps from the Pentagon,” as they like to say. Since the 1970s, they have offered graduate-level degrees out of offices in Washington, D.C., and Santa Monica, where the RAND Corp. is headquartered. All this has been valuable in my work at The IIA.
A lot of people probably don’t know what internal auditors are — or do they?
The best way to think about the function of internal auditors in an organization might be this: An Internal auditor is like the eyes and ears of an organization — similar to the inspector general at a U.S. agency. Internal audit is a function, led by a Chief Audit Executive, independent from management, that reports directly to the governing body (e.g., board). It is a fundamental element of sound corporate governance.
They don’t just deal with an organization’s financial statements. They also examine its supply chains, for example — even its HR and cultural practices. Reporting to the board of directors, they maintain visibility on operational, reporting, and compliance internal controls; provide objective recommendations on mitigating risk; and support the achievement of organizational goals.
The IIA offers certifications, sets global standards, organizes conferences, and conducts research for the profession.
You’re one of the Council’s Foundation Fellows. Describe that experience.
Not until two or three years ago did I really lean into the Council and its offerings. But I’m so glad I did. My participation led to being selected as one of the Foundation Fellows, which was not only a great honor but of tremendous value to me professionally. I’m amazed at how seriously the Council takes its mentoring programs and how dedicated the staff and volunteers are. My mentor is Lauren Tyler at Adfero, and she has been wonderful.
So what do you do with the little off-duty time you have?
I love tennis, soccer, cycling and, as you might guess, travel. I’ve been to Poland four times to visit my partner’s family with her. She lives in London, so I get to visit her there on occasion, and together we get to see other cool places. For example, we recently attended a wedding in Scotland. Clearly, I like to keep busy!
“
I speak five languages — Spanish, English, French, Italian, and Portuguese — and I’m now learning a sixth. While I was at the Public Affairs Forum in Brussels, I actually got to speak all of them in less than an hour. This shows how cosmopolitan Brussels — and the Council — can be.
More News & Resources
Enhance your government relations strategy, build your community.