Title:Hoya Highlight: Alvaro Alvarez (F’99)

Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary at Donuts Inc.

Time on the Hilltop

What was your major at Georgetown?

I graduated from the School of Foreign Service, and am proud to say I was part of the first class to complete the full Science, Technology, and International Affairs program. It has been wonderful to see that program flourish over the past few decades.

What was your favorite class or who was your favorite professor at Georgetown?

My favorite class was “Map of the Modern World,” taught by the legendary Professor Charles Pirtle. A graduation requirement for those in SFS, the one-credit wonder was boot camp for the geography geek in all of us. My favorite professor was my advisor on my thesis, Professor Dorothy Denning. She is one of the world’s most celebrated cyber security experts and opened my eyes to the wonders and dangers of our increasingly online world.

What advice would you give your younger self (or current Georgetown students)?

Take classes that interest you and not just the classes you think you will “use” in the future (hint: you’ll use them all in one way or another). If you are majoring in finance or computer science, don’t be afraid to study ancient Hebrew, political ecology, or another class outside your major that interests you, even if you think it won’t be practical. While I understand that the tremendous resources needed to attend a great university like Georgetown, I believe a university’s highest priority is to create ethical, curious, and knowledgeable citizens. Fostering good employees and a vibrant economy is just a byproduct, and you won’t have many opportunities to learn interesting subject matter in such an in-depth way again.

How has Georgetown shaped you?

I heard someone once say, “Georgetown is the place where your best friends are nothing like you.” That rang especially true for me. My Georgetown experience provided a peerless environment to reflect, learn, and understand the world we live in. The wide diversity of political, ethnic, geographic, economic, and religious backgrounds and viewpoints discussed yet embraced on the Hilltop offers me—especially in this difficult 2020—a renewed sense of hope.

Career Reflections

What is the best career advice you have ever received?

Due to the tech-sector collapse in 2002, only a handful of months into my legal career, the law firm I worked for dissolved and all employees were let go. Following tremendous years of growth and optimism, the economy was in terrible shape and was heading into one of the biggest economic downturns of our time. My brother reminded me that careers are long, and that if you are going to stumble, better to stumble early when you have fewer responsibilities and many years to recover. He then said, “In 10 years this will be a blip on your career and you’ll possess a powerful empathy for others facing similar circumstances.” As we all face another historic economic struggle, I find his words more valuable than ever!

What are the big trends in your industry that you see now?

I work in the internet infrastructure industry. We deal with big data and artificial intelligence, converting data into understandable information, useful knowledge, and wisdom. Collecting, understanding, and communicating good data makes society better.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done professionally?

Before I came to my current company, I mostly worked on mergers and acquisitions, and I was closing a deal while my daughter Cecilia was born. Being there for my daughter and wife while also taking care of my clients was incredibly challenging. Since then, it hasn’t gotten easier to balance work and home life—finding time for both is always difficult.

What has been the most rewarding moment of your career?

The most rewarding moment involved helping one of my pro bono asylum clients. She had endured more than any human should in her native Somalia and, with her children, sought refuge in the United States. While there were many hard-fought victories along her path to U.S. citizenship, seeing her beam at finally being a U.S. citizen at her naturalization ceremony is something I will never forget.

A Day in the Life

What does your workspace look like? Are you at a desk frequently or on the road? What do you have on your desk or with you at all times?

My workspace is currently my family’s guest bedroom—lot more eclectic than my normal office. I do very much miss my officemates and my stand-up desk. I’m on the road a decent amount and I am lucky that all I really need to be productive is my MacBook Pro and a phone—they are rarely not within reach.

What is one part of your daily routine you couldn’t live without?

For the past dozen years or so I’ve picked up running. A friend asked me last January to help him get started and since then, Monday through Friday (and throughout our various stages of lockdown), I’ve been running roughly a six-mile loop through my neighborhood. I run barefoot or in sandals, so anytime I travel I always make sure to bring my running sandals. I get plenty of stares, but they are so light. It’s nice to be able to run anywhere in the world.

Who or what is a source of strength and inspiration in your life and why?

My grandparents, who all hail from Mexico. My paternal grandparents fled political and physical persecution, leaving their families and livelihoods to start anew in the United States. My maternal grandparents remained in Mexico and nurtured a love of service, adventure, and community in their family. When the going gets tough, I think of my grandparents and try to honor their tenacity, positivity, and focus on helping others.

What are your words to live by?

Pressure either busts pipes or makes diamonds.