Sánchez selected as senior vice provost

Rebecca Sánchez, a longtime faculty member and academic leader at The University of New Mexico (UNM) who has served for the past year as interim associate vice provost for academic personnel, has been selected as UNM's senior vice provost.

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Barbara Rodriguez announced the selection after a competitive internal search. Sánchez's appointment is effective Sept. 1.

"Dr. Sánchez brings significant experience, sound judgment and a deep understanding of UNM to this role, along with a clear vision for supporting our faculty and advancing the University's academic mission," Rodriguez said. "Over the past year, I have seen firsthand the thoughtful and principled way she approaches complex issues, always with care for the people involved and the institution we serve. I look forward to working with Dr. Sánchez and our Academic Affairs leadership team as we strengthen the environment in which our faculty can succeed and advance strategic priorities across the University."

Rodriguez previously served as senior vice provost from 2018 until July 2025, when she was named interim provost. She was selected as provost and executive vice president for academic affairs in June 2026.

Sánchez began as interim associate vice provost for academic personnel in July 2025. She previously served as associate dean for equity, inclusion and faculty affairs in UNM's College of Education and Human Sciences.

As senior vice provost, Sánchez will be a key member of the Academic Affairs leadership team, working closely with the provost and academic leaders across the University on matters central to faculty success and the academic mission. She will provide strategic leadership for academic personnel and faculty affairs, support the effective and consistent implementation of academic policies and processes, and help advance institutional priorities across UNM's schools, college and branch campuses.

Sánchez is a professor of elementary education at UNM who joined the UNM faculty in 2005. She served as coordinator of the UNM elementary education program from 2017 to 2018 and has held a variety of faculty leadership roles during her more than two decades at the University.

Her scholarship spans curriculum for K-8 students, bilingual and multicultural education, and place-based learning. She has published numerous scholarly articles and book chapters and has developed an extensive body of creative work, including visual arts exhibitions and playwriting. In 2016, Sánchez received the Paula Vogel Award in Playwriting from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. Her creative scholarship includes This Scarlet F: A Research Performance of School Grading Measures, a work that brings together her expertise in education, research and dramatic writing.

Sánchez earned a bachelor's degree in government, and master's and doctoral degrees in education from New Mexico State University. She also earned a master of fine arts degree in dramatic writing from UNM in 2016.