President Rodríguez named executive director of SUNY’s Hispanic Leadership Institute 

President Rodríguez speaks during a panel at the SOMOS Conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, last week. (Photo courtesy of Todd Foreman)

ALBANY, N.Y. (Nov. 12, 2019) — Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has appointed UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez to serve as executive director SUNY’s Hispanic Leadership Institute.

Rodríguez, who will start his term on Jan. 1, 2020, will be charged with developing and supporting the next generation of executive-level Latino leaders across the SUNY system, which has committed to becoming the most inclusive university system in the country.

Cuomo made the announcement last week at the SOMOS conference in Puerto Rico, which was attended by Rodríguez and other University leaders.

"We created the Hispanic Leadership Institute because in New York we recognize that inclusivity and diversity is our greatest strength and we must leverage that asset in the SUNY system and beyond," Cuomo said. "I'm grateful to President Rodríguez for taking on this additional leadership role and I look forward to the great work he and his colleagues will do to continue empowering the next generation of Hispanic leaders."

Rodríguez said, "The Hispanic Leadership Institute is a critical asset for SUNY as it seeks to increase pathways to success for rising stars across the system. I am honored to play a role to help ensure the success of this important initiative to cultivate a new generation of SUNY leaders."

The institute focuses on developing, retaining and promoting Hispanic leaders at SUNY for the positions of university president, provost, chief financial officer and chief business officer, among others. The work of the SUNY Hispanic Leadership Institute is guided by an Advisory Council, composed of 15 state and national leaders of the Hispanic and higher education communities.

The institute offers a year-long fellowship program to develop mid- to senior-level Latino managers and executives, also will offer shorter duration development opportunities for middle-level Hispanic leaders whose next career advancement would be to serve in a SUNY college president's cabinet. The Institute will also host an annual two-day Latino Leadership Conference for faculty from across SUNY.

"President Rodríguez's lifelong commitment to putting knowledge to work in service of others, particularly his leadership through disaster response efforts across Latin America, makes him a perfect choice to head the SUNY Hispanic Leadership Institute," said SUNY Chancellor Kristina M. Johnson. “He is an exemplary role model and mentor for Hispanic higher education professionals seeking to grow and advance in their careers."

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