Ileana Rodriguez

Ileana is the Senior Vice President of Constituent Engagement at the CommonApp a non-profit membership organization representing nearly 1,000 diverse institutions of higher education that connects applicants and those who support them to a wide array of public and private colleges and universities across all 50 U.S. states, and 20 countries. Originally from Puerto Rico, Ileana moved to the United States to pursue a Ph.D. in Social and Personality Psychology at Michigan State University. From 2000 to 2008, she served as a tenured Psychology faculty at Triton College in River Grove, IL while concurrently holding administration positions including Director of Institutional Research, Assessment and Curriculum, and Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Services. After Triton College, Ileana served in senior leadership roles at the College Board and Teach For America. In 2018, she launched a consulting practice focused on supporting non-profit organizations to navigate growth and change while advancing diversity, equity and inclusiveness before joining the CommonApp.

Why are you a board member at CICS?

Educational equity is at the heart of my purpose. Personally and professionally I have experienced and seen firsthand the systemic patterns of unequal resources, opportunities, and validation that unfairly make it a lot harder for many students to be successful in their educational endeavors. Serving on the CICS Board is one way in which I can help support a school network committed to innovation and the fulfillment of the potential of every single student.