LaGuardia Community College Hires Lorenley Báez as Director of Casa de las Américas
LONG ISLAND CITY, NY (September 11, 2025) — LaGuardia Community College/CUNY welcomes Lorenley Báez as the new Director of Casa de las Américas, starting September 15.
Casa de las Américas is the first center at a CUNY community college offering comprehensive academic and career services to Latinx students from all countries of the Americas.
Lorenely brings years of leadership and academic experience in higher education, cultivating diverse stakeholders through academic advising, career development and student engagement.
Prior to joining LaGuardia, Lorenley served as Associate Provost of Equity and Belonging at the New School, providing leadership on the advancement of equity and belonging initiatives to support students. In the same institution, Lorenley previously served as Associate Provost for Academic Advising and Career Development and as Assistant Vice President for Student Success.
In her role as Director of Casa de las Américas, Lorenley will report to the President’s Chief of Staff Nayelli Valencia Turrent, and serve as the lead administrator responsible for advancing La Casa’s mission to celebrate and support Latinx, Latin American, and Caribbean culture, education, and community engagement at LaGuardia. In addition, Lorenley will oversee the Crear Futuros program, a mentorship and college success initiative sponsored by the Hispanic Federation, ensuring its alignment with La Casa’s mission and its successful implementation on campus.
Lorenley’s other previous experience includes serving as Associate Dean of the Oxley Center for Academic Advisement and Career Education at the University of Mount Saint Vincent. She also served as the Director of TRiO Student Support Services in the same institution. Lorenley has also held other academic and advisement roles with the Oliver Scholars Program, American University in Washington, D.C.; and Youth Venture, Inc. in Arlington, Va.
Lorenley hopes to incorporate career development and mentorship in La Casa’s programming in the future.
“Having previously managed a Career Center at two different institutions, I understand career coaching and career education, and I’m hoping to share this with students to help them navigate the job market in today’s challenging times,” she said. “They need to know how to prepare for interviews and navigate the complexities of workplaces in order to be successful. As a Latina and an immigrant from the Dominican Republic, I share my story with students in order to help and empower them to reach higher! They should comprehend and embrace the wealth they bring to job markets and feel empowered to amplify their abilities to make positive change in the world. I also hope to explore more funding opportunities in order to expand upon the programs La Casa offers. Lastly, I hope to connect with staff, faculty and alumni in an effort to support them as well, and to continue building a global sense of community and belonging.”
Lorenley earned a Master of Public Administration from the School of Public Affairs at American University and a Master of Science in Organizational Development from the School of Public Affairs, also from American University. She earned a graduate certificate in Organizational Change from the School of Public Affairs at American University and a Bachelor of Arts in Print Journalism from the School of Communication at American University.
Lorenley has been an active member with a variety of organizations, including Community, Democracy & Belonging Forum at the Othering & Belonging Institute at the University of California – Berkeley; Higher Education Opportunity Program Professional Organization (HEOP-PO); National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE); National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE); National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA); American College Personnel Association (ACPA); National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE); and The Global Community for Academic Advising (NACADA).
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LaGuardia Community College (LAGCC), a Hispanic-Serving Institution, located in Long Island City, Queens offers more than 50 associate degrees and academic certificates, and more than 65 continuing education programs to prepare New Yorkers for transfer to senior colleges and rewarding jobs and careers. An institution of the City University of New York (CUNY), the College reflects the legacy of our namesake, Fiorello H. LaGuardia, the former NYC mayor beloved for his advocacy of the underserved. Since 1971, LaGuardia’s academic programs and support services have advanced the socioeconomic mobility of students from Queens, NYC and beyond.
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