Dr. Luis Rodriguez, J.D., M.P.H., MS Ed. '08

Dr. Luis Rodríguez began his administrative career in the public health sector, serving in various leadership capacities culminating as Vice Dean for Municipal Hospital Affiliations, and Assistant Professor of Community and Preventive Medicine, for New York Medical College. His leadership experience encompasses ambulatory care settings, as well as acute care and chronic care teaching hospitals.

In the realm of public education, Dr. Rodriguez has served as a Special Educator and thereafter as Director of Special Education Instruction, and Achievement Coach, for a network of twenty-nine NYCDOE public schools. In this role, he worked with school leaders, teachers and parents, in implementing a comprehensive Special Education reform initiative. For the past nine years, Dr. Rodriguez has served as Assistant Superintendent for Special Education and Pupil Support Services, for the Yonkers Public School District, and is currently serving as Interim Superintendent of Schools.

As a member of the adjunct faculty of Southern Connecticut State University’s Graduate School of Health and Human Services, Dr. Rodriguez taught courses in management information systems, mediation, and social research methods. While on the adjunct faculty of the Fordham University Graduate School of Education, Dr. Rodriguez co-taught a blended course on the Foundations of Special Education, for aspiring special education teachers.

Dr. Rodriguez’s consulting experience includes providing leadership development training to management personnel of the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, as well as to managers of the New Haven Community Trust and various not-for-profit organizations. Dr. Rodriguez also coached managers of New Jersey’s Department of Human Services, focused on their implementation of a court-ordered systemic reformation of the state’s Office of Children’s Services.

A recipient of a NYC DOE Teaching Fellowship, Dr. Rodriguez’s academic credentials include: a Master of Public Health degree from Columbia University, a Master of Science in Urban Education degree from Mercy College, and a Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law.

Dr. Rodríguez has also been certified by NYSED as a School Building Leader and School District Leader. His additional certifications include Health Care Mediator, by the American Health Lawyers Association and Race Relations Education Specialist for the Navy, by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Dr. Rodriguez is also the recipient of various awards including:
• Acknowledgement of 23 Years of Leadership in Public Health and for Supporting Graduate Medical Education (New York Medical College, 2003)
• Excellence in Education Award, The Yonkers Puerto Rican/Hispanic Day Parade Foundation, Inc. (2014)
• Jane Knitzer Leadership Award for Promoting Schools as Partners in Westchester County’s Continuum of Mental Health Care Services (2019)
• The Association of Hispanic Professionals Leadership Award (2023)
• NYS Senator Nick Spano’s Award – Advocate for Children with Disabilities (2023)