Mercy University Appoints Lauren de la Cruz as Inaugural Chief Human Resources Officer
Mercy University announced that Lauren de la Cruz has been appointed as the institution’s first-ever chief human resources officer (CHRO). De la Cruz’s appointment reflects Mercy’s deep commitment to investing in its people and fostering a thriving workplace community that supports its mission of access, innovation, and student success.
“Lauren brings exceptional experience leading people and culture initiatives across dynamic and mission-driven organizations,” said Susan L. Parish, Ph.D., M.S.W., president of Mercy University. “Her leadership will be essential as we work to build a resilient, high-performing, and inclusive workplace culture that supports Mercy University’s mission and long-term vision.”
“It is a privilege to work for an institution that is not only focusing on student success but is also investing in the success of its employees,” said Lauren de la Cruz, chief human resources officer of Mercy University.
De la Cruz brings more than two decades of experience in human resources leadership across nonprofit, corporate, union, and non-union environments. Most recently, she served as Vice President of People & Culture at RubiconMD, a CVS Health company, where she led HR strategy for a rapidly growing health tech startup focused on expanding access to specialty care. In that role, she successfully guided the organization through a major acquisition while maintaining strong employee engagement and retention. Prior to RubiconMD, de la Cruz held senior HR roles at Consumer Reports, McCann Erickson, HBO, and Columbia University. Her expertise spans employee relations, organizational development, talent management and aligning human resources strategy with institutional priorities.
As CHRO she will oversee the university’s human resources operations, spearhead talent recruitment and development, and lead initiatives to ensure that Mercy is a place where all employees thrive.
De la Cruz is a Bronx native who began her academic journey at Mercy as a freshman. She has seen firsthand how equity and access to education can shape lives and communities. She is looking forward to returning to Mercy and contributing to its mission.
She holds a Master of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations from Baruch College, a Certificate in Executive Coaching from Teachers College, Columbia University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Lehman College.
About Mercy University
Mercy University is an independent, coeducational institution serving more than 9,000 students each year across campuses in Westchester, the Bronx, Manhattan, as well as online. It is a federally designated minority-serving institution and the largest private Hispanic Serving Institution in the state of New York. Mercy offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificate programs within six schools: Business, Education, Health and Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts, Nursing and Social and Behavioral Sciences. Mercy was founded in 1950 by the Sisters of Mercy whose mission of transformative education remains strong. For more information, visit www.mercy.edu.
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