Dear Colleagues,

Last week, the Board of Regents elected a new Chancellor and Vice Chancellor who will assume their posts on April 1. Please join me in congratulating Betty A. Rosa, the new Regents Chancellor, and T. Andrew Brown, the new Regents Vice Chancellor.

Chancellor-Elect Rosa was born in New York City but spent the first ten years of her life in Puerto Rico. She attended elementary, middle, and high school in the Bronx and holds M.S. degrees in Administration and Supervision and in Bilingual Education and an Ed. M. and Ed. D. in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy. Chancellor-Elect Rosa worked at the New York City Department of Education where she developed the Office of Conflict Resolution in the Division of Special Education and was principal of I.S. 218, a full-service community school in partnership with the Children's Aid Society in District 6. She also served as Superintendent of Community School District 8, then as Senior Superintendent of the Bronx. Chancellor-Elect Rosa serves on numerous professional councils and committees, and in 2005 founded B.D.J. & J. Associates LLC, a company that provides consulting services to large urban school districts and to companies in the education field. She has also taught graduate-level education classes and has received numerous awards in the fields of educational leadership and bilingual education. Chancellor-Elect Rosa has been a member of the Board of Regents since 2008. Read Chancellor-Elect Rosa's full bio here.

Vice Chancellor-Elect Brown of Rochester holds a B.A. in political science from Syracuse University and received his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. He is the founder and managing partner of the Rochester-based law firm, Brown Hutchinson, LLP, a statewide practice representing clients in the areas of civil litigation, employment, and general business counsel. He is a former Corporation Counsel and Chief Legal Officer for the City of Rochester and has taught at SUNY Brockport and Monroe Community College. He is also former General Counsel of the National Bar Association; past President of the Monroe County Bar Association; Vice President of the New York State Bar Association and Chair of its Finance Committee; and a member of The Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission. Vice Chancellor-Elect Brown has traveled extensively throughout the world and has held advisory and leadership positions in numerous civic and community groups. He has received many awards for his business and civic achievements and has repeatedly been named as one of the best trial lawyers in New York. Vice Chancellor-Elect Brown has been a member of the Board of Regents since 2012. Read Vice Chancellor-Elect Brown's full bio here.

Chancellor-Elect Rosa and Vice Chancellor-Elect Brown will replace current Chancellor Merryl H. Tisch and current Vice Chancellor Anthony S. Bottar. We thank Chancellor Tisch and Vice Chancellor Bottar for their many years of distinguished service on the Board of Regents.

Sincerely,

MaryEllen Elia

Commissioner