Berkeley College names new president

The Berkeley College board of trustees named Diane Recinos as the college’s next president, the institution announced March 15.

Recinos has served the college for 30 years and was appointed interim president Oct. 18, 2021, succeeding Michael Smith, who had served as president since June 2015.

“The Board of Trustees values President Recinos’ strong leadership and proven track record,” Kevin Luing, Berkely’s board chairman, said in a statement. “Her unwavering commitment to student success and her experience working with numerous departments across the College during her tenure have earned her the respect of the entire institution.”

Recinos began her career at Berkeley in 1992 as director of financial aid and took on expanded roles in technology and analytics. As senior vice president for student success and senior vice president for enrollment management, her leadership has spanned campus operations, admissions, marketing, student development and campus life, disability services, career services, academic advisement, the Office of the Registrar, institutional effectiveness, and the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs, according to the college.

“It is a great honor to be the President of Berkeley College,” Recinos said in a statement. “I am committed to collaborating with our students, faculty, staff and community members in a way that preserves our 91-year history and positions us for future success.”

Recinos volunteers as a peer evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. She served as a board member for the American Conference on Diversity, the Woodbridge Economic Development Corp. and the Woodbridge Special Improvement District, and as chairwoman of the board of the Woodbridge Metro Chamber of Commerce. She is a fellow of Lead New Jersey.

The New York City YWCA Academy of Women Leaders recognized Recinos for her leadership and achievements in 2011. In 2016, NJBIZ named Recinos one of the Best 50 Women in Business. She is also a recipient of the William E. Short Community Service Award.

Recinos, who lives in Rahway, earned her doctorate in education from St. John Fisher College, an MBA in management from Wagner College and a bachelor’s degree from Davis and Elkins College. Berkeley College has campuses in Newark, Paramus, Woodbridge and Woodland Park in New Jersey; and Midtown Manhattan in New York.