Prominent Women Explain Why Leadership Is Being Redefined Now
Award-winning media professional and New York Secretary of State Rossana Rosado hosts an event designed to inspire future leaders. All are welcome to celebrate Women’s History Month with a unique roster of leaders from a variety of fields for an afternoon luncheon with professional camaraderie, networking, and sharing.
LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED
Rossana Rosado
New York Secretary of State
From becoming the first woman to serve as Editor and Publisher of the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the country, to championing prisoner re-entry initiatives, to her work as an award-winning producer, Rossana Rosado brings a depth and diversity of experience as New York Secretary of State. Governor Cuomo appointed Secretary Rosado to the position on February 3, 2016 and she was unanimously confirmed by the New York State Senate on June 15, 2016. Her leadership has helped make the Department of State one of the most dynamic agencies in State government.
Secretary Rosado is best known for her successful tenure as the Publisher & CEO of El Diario La Prensa, where she spent 18 years, overseeing more than $22 million in annual revenue. Whether it’s women’s empowerment, the re-entry and reintegration of prisoners into society, or a fairer and more humane immigration policy,
Secretary Rosado advocated in the paper’s editorial pages for advancement on issues affecting a wide array of New Yorkers. She solidified the paper, and herself, as influential leaders for social and economic justice. During her 30-year media career, Secretary Rosado earned an Emmy Award, a STAR Award from the NY Women’s Agenda, and a Peabody Award for Journalism.
Secretary Rosado is equally accomplished in her roles in public service. She served on the board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from 2012 to 2015 and was recently reappointed to that role in 2017. Secretary Rosado was a Distinguished Lecturer at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice prior to joining the Cuomo administration, and has been a member of the College’s Foundation Board of Trustees since 2012. She has served as an advisor to elected officials on their transition teams at the highest levels in the City and State.
Along with her roles in business and public service, Secretary Rosado has been personally involved in issues with respect to prisoner re-entry. She Chairs Governor Cuomo’s Council on Community Re-entry and Reintegration of New Yorkers returning from prison and served on Governor David Paterson’s Task Force on Juvenile Justice. She has taught at Sing Sing and Otisville Correctional Facilities in New York State.
A native New Yorker, Secretary Rosado received her B.A. in Journalism from Pace University. @rorosado
Vilda Mayuga
Deputy Secretary for Economic Opportunity
New York Department of State
Vilda Vera Mayuga joined the NY Department of State in July 2018 as Deputy Secretary for Economic Opportunity. In that capacity, she oversees the Office for New Americans, the Division of Consumer Protection, and the Division of Community Services.
From 2014 until June 2018, she served as Chair of the New York State Industrial Board of Appeals, which is an independent review and appeals board that provides an impartial review of rules, regulations and orders issued by the Commissioner of Labor. She was the first Latina to hold the position.
Prior, Vilda was Deputy Commissioner for Worker Protection at the New York State Department of Labor, overseeing the divisions of Labor Standards, Safety and Health and Immigrant Policies and Affairs. She had started at the Department of Labor in February 2011 as Executive Director of the Division of Immigrant Policies and Affairs, when she implemented the agency’s first U-visa certification protocol and expanded the agency’s role and presence in the fight against human trafficking. Under her direction, the Agriculture Labor Program was started to provide services to both agricultural employers and workers. Vilda also played a critical role in ensuring the agency’s compliance with language access requirements and worked heavily on the drafting of the statewide policy resulting in Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order 26.
Vilda also served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Bureau of the New York State Office of the Attorney General. There, she managed a diverse caseload of civil rights cases and handled every stage of litigation. Vilda tried and settled numerous immigration services fraud cases that resulted in multimillion-dollar judgments. As a result, she received the 2009 Special Award from NYS Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo for achievement in the Immigration Fraud Initiative.
Prior to her appointment as Assistant Attorney General, Vilda served as an Agency Attorney and investigated Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complaints within the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). She also conducted on-site inspections of FDNY premises, such as firehouses and EMS stations, to ensure compliance with the FDNY EEO Policy. Vilda also worked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York, where she analyzed, processed and monitored requests for evidence from foreign countries.
Vilda graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor in Arts in International Relations from Boston University in Boston, MA. She completed her law degree at the University of Puerto Rico School of Law in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. Vilda is a member of the New York Bar, and she speaks English and Spanish.
Dr. Claudia V. Schrader
President of Kingsborough Community College
Dr. Schrader was recently appointed President of Kingsborough Community College of the City University of New York, effective September 15, 2018. Prior to that, she served as the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Success at Bronx Community College (BCC) where she maintained executive oversight of 15 academic departments and a host of programs and affiliated offices. As BCC’s Provost, she worked closely with divisions across the college on matters critical to the effective delivery of the College’s mission, particularly in efforts to increase student completion. Prior to joining BCC, she served as the Associate Provost for Academic Development at William Paterson University of New Jersey. Dr. Schrader spent 12 years at Medgar Evers College of The City University of New York where she held faculty rank as an Associate Professor with tenure in the Education Department; served as the Deputy Department Chairperson and NCATE Coordinator Assistant Provost for Assessment, Research, Institutional and Student Success and Associate Provost of Academic Affairs. Dr. Schrader believes strongly in community service. She is an active peer evaluator with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, a 25-year member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and an avid supported and volunteer with Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village Program. Dr. Schrader earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Africana Studies. She received a Master of Arts in Special Education and a Master of Education in Instructional Practice in Special Education from Columbia University, Teachers College, where she also earned her Doctor of Education degree in International and Transcultural Studies.
Adeola Akinrinade
Baruch ’05, Senior Manager at EisnerAmper LLP
Adeola Akinrinade has over 12 years of experience providing financial and strategic advisory services to companies and creditors. Adeola’s experience focuses on restructurings, turnaround management, bankruptcies, mergers and acquisitions, financings/refinancings and strategic advisory. She has worked with clients across a wide range of industries including consumer, retail, industrials, energy, power and utilities, and media.
Adeola is currently a Senior Manager in the Financial Advisory Services Group at EisnerAmper where she focuses on restructuring and bankruptcy engagements. Prior to that, Adeola was part of the Corporate Finance Team at Alvarez and Marsal (A&M) where she worked on both debtor and creditor engagements in in-court and out-of-court restructuring situations. In her role, Adeola explored strategic alternatives including mergers and acquisitions, financings/refinancings and restructuring of the existing capital structure. She performed various financial and valuation analyses, led various marketing processes for sale and financing situations, and provided strategic advisory services. Prior to joining A&M, Adeola spent three years in the Investment Banking Division at Lehman Brothers, where she focused on the power and utilities sector.
Adeola graduated from Baruch College with a BBA in Finance and Investments. She is a Certified Insolvency and Restructuring Advisor (CIRA). She is a member of the International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation, as well as the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors.
Adeola is passionate about mentoring relationships and philanthropy. She likes to travel and enjoys trying new cuisines.
Victoria Smith
Student Moderator, Lehman ’20
Victoria Smith grew up in Bronx, NY and is currently a junior at Macaulay Honors College Lehman College. She is pursuing a major in philosophy and a double minor in political science and music, and is an alumna of a Bronx high school, where she was an avid percussionist, the Secretary of Music, leader of a diversity club called “Diaspora,” and captain of the Cross Country team. During her freshman year, Smith was awarded the Jeannette K. Watson Fellowship, a prestigious three year program that provides funded summer internships and unprecedented opportunities to promising undergraduate students from 12 New York City partner colleges, such as Lehman. Smith had the opportunity to intern at Mount Sinai Beth Israel as a research assistant her first summer and as an Investigative Intern at the Bronx Defenders her second summer. She will know which where she is interning for her third summer in a matter of days. At Lehman, Smith has been a percussionist for the college’s various jazz ensembles, and is a College Assistant in our campus’ wonderful edTPA lab for the school of education. Smith is thoroughly enjoying her time at Lehman college, and she is looking forward to applying to other fellowships and continuing her route to higher education with Lehman and Macaulay’s support.