Lee Concha, MA

Executive Vice President for University Strategies, Chief of Staff and Secretary to the Board

lee.concha@rosalindfranklin.edu

Lee Concha, MA, is the executive vice president for university strategies, chief of staff and secretary to the board. She leads development of the university’s strategic plan and supports its implementation, integration and reporting across the institution. As chief of staff and secretary to the board, she advises the president on board governance and strategy, supports the board chair and committee leadership, coordinates board and committee planning, and oversees operations of the president’s office. She provides administrative oversight for the Division of Marketing and Brand Management and guides and supports the work of the Division of Institutional Advancement. She also co-leads real estate optimization efforts and the university’s revitalized focus on campus safety.

Named vice president for marketing and brand management in 2015, Ms. Concha oversaw the creation of the university’s integrated marketing program. Today, the division advances institutional priorities through brand, communications and marketing strategies focused on enrollment, reputation and engagement with key audiences.

Ms. Concha plays a leadership role in shaping the university’s government relations strategy and governmental and legislative priorities. She works with university leadership to assess developments in the federal, state and local policy environments, determine their implications for RFU, and advance institutional priorities with government officials and other external stakeholders. She also provides strategic counsel to senior leaders on issues with significant institutional, reputational or public implications and serves on the crisis communications team.

As associate vice president for digital strategy in 2014, she oversaw the redevelopment of the university’s website and digital initiatives. Prior to being named executive vice president for university strategies in 2023, she served as senior vice president for university enhancement, strengthening collaboration among marketing, strategic enrollment management and institutional advancement and expanding her involvement in broader university priorities.

Ms. Concha serves on the board of directors of North Chicago Community Partners, whose work to advance educational equity and strengthen communities through schools aligns closely with RFU’s commitment to the health and well-being of its surrounding communities.

Previously, Ms. Concha was vice president for public relations and communications at the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago. She led the association’s public relations, social media and web development initiatives and managed a two-year campaign celebrating the Y’s sesquicentennial that culminated in raising a record-setting $1 million in one evening.

Ms. Concha began her career in government, serving the State of Illinois through positions with the Office of the Governor and the Office of the State Treasurer. She earned a master’s degree from the University of Florida and undergraduate degrees from the University of Miami.