New dean becomes first Latina to lead the business school 

St. Mary’s University today named Rowena Ortiz-Walters, Ph.D., Dean of the St. Mary’s University Greehey School of Business.

Ortiz-Walters comes to St. Mary’s from SUNY Plattsburgh, a public liberal arts college that is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) System, where she currently serves as Dean and Professor of Management in the School of Business and Economics.

“It is an exciting time to be embarking on this new role as the next dean of the Greehey School of Business. I admire the school’s focus on ethical and global business, and I believe I can add a more intentional focus on equity to complement the academic portfolio and reinforce the mission of St. Mary’s University,” Ortiz-Walters said. “As a Hispanic professional, I am also uniquely positioned to engage the Hispanic business community in Texas, which may be an untapped resource for the Greehey School.”

She begins her tenure as the first Latina dean of the Greehey School of Business in June 2021.

“After meeting Rowena, I am confident her commitment to her faith and her leadership and work focused on success for all students make her an excellent fit for St. Mary’s University and the Greehey School of Business,” said President Thomas Mengler, J.D.