BOV Welcomes Santiago

Gov. Ralph Northam has appointed one new member to the UMW Board of Visitors and reappointed members Rhonda Van Lowe and Heather Mullins Crislip ’95. All will serve four-year terms expiring in 2023.
Northam appointed Deborah Santiago ’90 to succeed Davis Rennolds ’06. Santiago is CEO and co-founder of Excelencia in Education, a Washington, D.C., policy group that provides data and research on higher education and Latino student success.
The Arlington, Virginia, resident has initiated and led local and national programs for 20 years. Her work has been cited in The Economist, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and many other publications focused on higher education policy and practice.
Before founding Excelencia in Education, Santiago held high-level data and policy analysis positions including serving as deputy director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. Her many honors include the prestigious Pahara Fellowship from the Aspen Institute.
Besides a bachelor’s degree from Mary Washington, Santiago holds a master’s degree in urban studies and affairs from Virginia Tech.