Vynessa Ortiz

Vynessa Ortiz is the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs for High School & Non-Degree Programs at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. Motivated by her experience as a first-generation college student, Vynessa has spent her 12 career working to expand college access and success for underrepresented students across the country. She has supported hundreds of students in gaining admission to and succeeding in the nation’s top universities through her work at Leadership Enterprise for a Diverse America and East Harlem Tutorial Program. Her experience in higher education includes positions in research and assessment, residential life, advising, student conduct, and cultural programming. Vynessa has a B.A. in Political Science and Ethnic Studies from Humboldt State University, and an M.S. in Higher Education from the Pennsylvania State University. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Educational Psychology at CUNY Graduate Center. Vynessa is from Los Angeles, CA, and a member of the Chippewa-Cree tribe of Rocky Boy, Montana.