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Astrid Tuminez to become first female president of UVU

Posted at 7:15 PM, Apr 20, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-20 21:15:41-04

OREM, Utah — Astrid S. Tuminez will become the seventh president of Utah Valley University and the first woman to hold the position.

According to a press release from the Utah System of Higher Education, Tuminez currently serves as the Regional Director for Corporate, External and Legal Affairs in Southeast Asia for Microsoft.

Tuminez will assume the role of president in the fall of 2018, succeeding Matthew S. Holland—who was appointed in 2009 and who announced last November he was leaving UVU to serve as a mission president for the LDS  Church.

“Dr. Tuminez has proven to be a dynamic leader across academic, nonprofit, public policy, and corporate sectors,” said Daniel W. Campbell, chair of the Board of Regents. “Throughout her storied career, she has focused on bridging gaps in education and opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, which seamlessly aligns with UVU’s institutional mission and core themes. Dr. Tuminez’s experience, vision, and dedication to student success will ensure that UVU continues to thrive in the years ahead.”

Tuminez was selected from a pool of 41 national and international applicants by a 24-member presidential search committee.

“I am incredibly honored to be given the opportunity to lead Utah Valley University, and I offer my thanks to the Board of Regents and the search committee for their confidence in me,” Tuminez said. “UVU’s nationally-recognized dual-mission role, with its emphasis on engaged learning and inclusivity, gives students the opportunity to access higher education and transform lives. I look forward to meeting and working with students, faculty and staff, UVU trustees, and community leaders to lead the university to the next phase of relevance, growth, and impact.”

The press release from USHE provides the following biographical details:

“Prior to her current role, Tuminez was the Vice Dean of Research and Assistant Dean of Executive Education at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, where she trained over 2,000 government officials and private-sector professionals in leadership and organizational change. Her previous positions include senior consultant to the U.S. Institute of Peace, Director of Research at AIG Global Investment, and program officer at Carnegie Corporation of New York. She previously ran the Moscow office of the Harvard Project on Strengthening Democratic Institutions. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University, a master’s degree from Harvard University, and a doctoral degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.”