María Luque-Larena

Head of Cultural and Educational Affairs

María holds a degree in Hispanic Philology from the Universidad de Barcelona, an MBA in Cultural Management from the Universidad de Salamanca, and a Master’s in North American Studies from the Universidad de Alcalá. She actively participates in conferences and academic initiatives related to cultural diplomacy and its impact on global societies, with a special focus on the relationship between Spain and the United States.

In 2014, she began her career at the Fundación Consejo España – EE. UU. as a project assistant. In 2017, after a period of leave to care for her twins, she rejoined the team and currently serves as the Head of Cultural and Educational Affairs. Over the years, she has led two major exhibition projects: “Designing America: Spain’s Imprint in the U.S.,” where she managed its itinerary to a fourth venue in the U.S., and “Invisible Immigrants: Spaniards in the U.S. (1868-1945)“, which she has been directing since 2019, opening three venues in Spain (Madrid, Gijón, and Almería) to date. She is currently working on the next phase of the project, which will bring the exhibition to various locations in the U.S. starting in 2025. Before her role at the Fundación, she worked in the university and legislative fields, and collaborated with the third sector.

A committed European, María has had a special fondness for the United States since childhood, particularly admiring the strength of its civil society and philanthropic leaders. Her passion for culture, international relations, and politics has been the foundation of her academic training and professional career.