I. Rodriguez and Associates is a general management problem solving consultancy. Our focus is on people, strategies, and goal-directed activities. 

We believe that getting to know our clients and understanding their challenges and objectives are equally important as making targeted recommendations and implementing successful solutions. Our customized solutions can be as varied as the individuals involved in a particular professional environment. A “one size fits all” approach does not take into account the uniqueness of every client.

We do not build financial management systems or design and construct information technology infrasturcture, but rather, use information to advance the operational efficiencies of the organizations we serve.

I. Rodriguez and Associates is driven by its founder, Ilka Rodriguez, who is actively involved in hands-on management of each project. She brings the entire body of her experience and expertise for the benefit of every client. We think in terms of building partnerships with our clients during a project and beyond.

Founder Ilka Rodriguez brings a broad range of experience in personal and organizational development. She served 36 years at the CIA, earning many honors for excellence and leadership in a wide range of responsibilities and assignments. This background shapes the way we help businesses, government agencies, institutions of higher learning, and nonprofit organizations reach their goals.

As the deputy director of CIA’s Intelligence Language Institute (ILI), she sculpted an organization whose mission was to bring Agency officers to a high level of professional proficiency in 16 different languages, including some of the most challenging. ILI is considered by many in the U.S. Intelligence Community as the gold standard in foreign language education, as their graduates may have to depend exclusively on a language not native to them to successfully execute their national security mission. Ms. Rodriguez is a polyglot, fluent in English, French, and Spanish and is conversational in Italian and German. Also, she has developed a general understanding of the cultures in which these languages are spoken. Our unique international and cultural perspective, built on years of high-level service, sets us apart in helping people and organizations grow and succeed in even the most challenging and complicated linguistic and cultural circumstances.

While overseeing CIA-wide recruiting, she developed the skills to quickly identify an individual’s character, aptitudes, values, and skills to make suitability assessments. This insight into characteristics of candidates has given Ms. Rodriguez exceptional skills in leadership development and personnel supervision.

Ms. Rodriguez was also challenged at the CIA by functioning as an internal consultant, growing departments to meet expanding needs, as well as streamlining staffing to achieve greater efficiencies. As a highly recognized leader herself, she has achieved great satisfaction in identifying and mentoring future leaders. 

Ms. Rodriguez faced many personal challenges, such as overcoming potentially lifelong paralysis, surviving late Stage 3 breast cancer, and caring for a stroke victim spouse for 15 years (who has since passed) while functioning as head of household. She is now a single mother of a talented high school soccer player. Ms. Rodriguez has performed as a mezzo soprano in La Boheme and Madame Butterfly and plays the piano.

She intentionally allocates a portion of her time to provide pro-bono services to nonprofit organizations, including serving on boards and providing consultation on management and creating tailored recruiting and human resources solutions.