Emelyn A. dela Peña has been named the next president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education.
With over three decades of higher education experience, Dr. Peña most recently served as vice president for diversity, equity, and inclusion at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Before that, she was associate vice provost for inclusion, community, and integrative learning at Stanford University in California. Her background in academia also includes key student affairs and diversity leadership positions with Washington University in St. Louis, Harvard College, and the University of California, San Diego.
“I am honored to have been selected as the next leader of NADOHE and grateful to the board for its trust,” said Dr. Peña. “I also want to recognize [President Emerita] Paulette Granberry Russell for her extraordinary leadership and for positioning NADOHE as a critical voice in higher education. I look forward to building on that legacy alongside our members as we continue advancing equity, justice, and inclusive excellence.”
Dr. Peña received her bachelor’s degree in ethnic studies from UC San Diego and her master’s degree in postsecondary educational leadership from San Diego State University. She earned her doctor of education degree from a joint program at UC San Diego, San Diego State University, and California State University, San Marcos.