Yvonne M. Romero is an expert on national K-12 and higher education issues and trends with particular expertise in strategic enrollment, diversity equity + inclusion, assessment, admissions, and professional development.

Yvonne serves as the vice president for enrollment at Rice University where she has launched an innovative financial aid program, the Rice Investment aimed at helping low- and middle-income families understand how much aid they will qualify prior to applying. Before joining Rice, she earned widespread recognition as vice dean and director of admissions at the University of Pennsylvania, where she was widely recognized as one of the leading innovators in higher education admissions and strategic thinking. Her work led to a fundamental change in the evaluation process at hundreds of colleges and universities. Romero has been a featured speaker at the NYT Higher Education Forum, has been highlighted for her innovations in the Chronicle of Higher Education, and is a frequent speaker at a number of convenings focused on innovation and equity in higher education.

In her over 25 years of experience, Romero has impacted higher education initiatives through leadership roles with various organizations and institutions, and through numerous presentations and engagements for the National Association for College Admission Counseling. In addition to her roles at Rice and University of Pennsylvania, Yvonne served on the admissions board at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and headed up strategy for the College Board.

Yvonne Romero holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from MIT, a master’s degree in education from Harvard, an MBA from Stanford University, and an Ed.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.