Executive Director of Public Affairs
Mr. Romero currently serves as Executive Director of Public Affairs at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), the largest college in the City University of New York (CUNY) system. During his tenure, Romero has expanded his division, strengthening BMCC’s brand; advancing the college’s local and national presence in the media and higher education arenas; and furthering the college’s development efforts by cultivating donors and alumni. Romero is an advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, serving on various strategic committees and task forces to promote access to education for all students, especially those who have been minoritized. Most recently, his contributions helped BMCC be recognized as a top 10 finalist for the 2021 Aspen Institute Prize for Community College Excellence.
Before joining BMCC, Romero served as Director of Public Relations at Baruch College, where he developed and oversaw the college’s public relations strategies, as well as its initiatives to secure regional and national media coverage. Earlier roles included serving as Director of Communications and Marketing at Marymount Manhattan College, and as Associate Executive Director of NYC’s contemporary dance company, Parsons Dance.
Before moving to New York City, Romero worked as Public Relations Manager of the law firm of Snell & Wilmer. Prior to that, Romero held a variety of professional roles at Arizona State University (ASU), including Director of Hispanic Media, Publications Editor, and Assistant Editor in ASU’s Media Relations Office. He also served as the Public Relations Officer of the State Bar of Arizona after working as the education reporter for the Yuma Daily Sun.
A product of the public community college system, Romero, born and raised in Nogales, Ariz., earned an associate’s degree from Mesa Community College, where he served as features editor of the Mesa Legend. He then earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, where he was also a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and an editor of the NAU Lumberjack. Romero later earned a master’s of Mass Communication from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU. He is currently pursuing his Ed.D. in Administrative and Instructional Leadership from St. John’s University in Queens, NY.
Romero is an active distance runner and a member of the Front Runners of New York. He was appointed by Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer to Manhattan Community Board No. 1, where he served as a member from 2016-2019. Romero was also named a 2017 Fellow of the NCCHC Leadership Fellows Program.
Areas of Expertise: Public Relations, Crisis Communications, Marketing for Higher Education and Non-profit organizations, Community Outreach Strategies, Digital Communications Strategies, Effective Social Media Strategies and Brand Management.
