Lia Miller
U.S. Consul General in Barcelona

Lia Miller assumed the role of U.S. Consul General in Barcelona in August 2024. She is a career Foreign Service Officer with extensive experience in the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Spain. She has demonstrated leadership and innovation in public diplomacy, communications, humanitarian relief, democratic institution building, and reform. Most recently, Lia served as a Senior Advisor for Women, Peace, and Security at the U.S. Naval War College, working in an interagency capacity. Lia’s previous assignments within the U.S. Department of State include roles in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, the Operations Center, the Bureau of Global Public Affairs, the Office of Middle East Transitions, and the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. She has also served at U.S. Embassies in Armenia, Bolivia, Tunisia, Nicaragua, and Oman. Lia holds a Bachelor of Science with honors, with double majors in Social Work and African American Studies. She also earned two Master’s degrees from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University: one in Public Administration and one in International Relations. Additionally, she has a Master of Science in Social Work from Columbia University and a Master of National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College. Lia is fluent in Spanish, Arabic, Armenian, French, and Portuguese.

José Julio Fernández Rodríguez
Professor of Constitutional Law University of Santiago de Compostela

Jose Julio Fernández Rodríguez holds a doctorate in law and degrees in law, political and social sciences, journalism, and audiovisual communication, along with a diploma in security and defense studies. He is a professor of constitutional law at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) and director of the Center for Security Studies (CESEG), a joint initiative of USC and the Ministry of Defense.

Formerly the ombudsman for Galicia and USC’s data protection delegate, he has authored over 180 high-impact publications on constitutional theory, fundamental rights, constitutional justice, new technologies, and security which have been published in 17 countries. He has received the Cross of Naval Merit with white badge (Kingdom of Spain) and an honorary doctorate. Fernández Rodríguez has also participated as an expert in international legal cooperation and institutional strengthening programs and is a member of the Galician Electoral Board.