Carlos Rey Romero, Ph.D.

Bio

Dr. Carlos Rey Romero grew up in Española, New Mexico, and earned his MBA at New Mexico Highlands University, where he also served as a teaching assistant and adjunct professor. He holds a doctorate in Education Science and Leadership and has taught at Luna Community College and the Armand Hammer United World College of the American.

As Associate Vice President for Research at New Mexico Tech, he has overseen research centers, strategic partnerships, compliance, and federally funded STEM programs that give middle and high school students hands-on career experiences. He also led the turnaround of the Playas Research and Training Center, a remote Hidalgo County center that operates without direct university investment. The center eliminated a debt approaching $6 million and grew from 10 employees to more than 30.

Previously, he spent more than a decade in senior roles at the University of New Mexico, where he served as principal investigator for ENLACE New Mexico, leading the team alongside partners across New Mexico to build high-school-to-college pipeline programs for Latino and other underrepresented students that now reach approximately 30,000 students annually. He also served as the University’s liaison to the Legislature, Congress, and Board of Regents, led a faculty-driven reform of sponsored research administration, and earlier advised two governors on public finance at the New Mexico Finance Authority.

Two decades ago, he served on the board of El Centro Family Health, helping strengthen its financial stability. Dr. Romero believes Highlands can be a driver of social mobility for its students and of economic and educational progress for the state, preparing the educators, social workers, and nurses its communities depend on through shared governance, transparent finances, and accountability to the students and communities it serves.