Bio
Carlos Rey Romero, PhD is a senior higher education executive whose leadership reflects a deep understanding of New Mexico’s people, institutions, and communities, combined with extensive experience advancing large-scale, nationally relevant research, policy, and economic development initiatives. His career spans more than two decades of service at the intersection of higher education, government, and public finance.
Dr. Romero currently serves as Associate Vice President for Research at New Mexico Tech. For the past 10 years he has provided executive leadership for a complex research enterprise that includes applied research centers, federally sponsored programs, research compliance, financial oversight, and external partnerships with federal agencies, industry, and state and local governments. In this role, he has served as principal investigator and senior executive on projects totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, supporting national security, advanced technologies, workforce development, and economic resilience.
A hallmark of Dr. Romero’s leadership is his ability to steward institutional assets through periods of challenge and growth. While detailed to the Playas Research and Training Center, he led a successful organizational turnaround that restored fiscal stability, strengthened operations, and expanded the center’s role as a nationally recognized research, testing, and training site. This work reflects his capacity to align mission, operations, and partnerships to achieve long-term sustainability and impact.
Previously, Dr. Romero held senior leadership roles at the University of New Mexico, including Associate Vice President for Research and Compliance and Associate Vice President for Government and Community Relations. In these roles, he oversaw university-wide research administration and compliance functions, guided strategic research initiatives, and served as a primary liaison to state and federal policymakers. He worked closely with governors, legislators, tribal governments, and local officials to secure funding, advance capital projects, and align institutional priorities with statewide and national policy goals.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Romero served as Director of Intergovernmental Relations and Financial Advisor for the New Mexico Finance Authority, advising governors and public entities across the state on infrastructure financing and economic development. This experience provided him with a sophisticated understanding of public finance, intergovernmental collaboration, and the challenges and opportunities facing rural and resource-constrained communities.
Dr. Romero’s public service continues through his appointment as a Commissioner on the New Mexico Military Base Planning Commission, where he contributes to statewide planning efforts that integrate higher education, workforce development, and economic strategy with national defense priorities. He also serves on multiple nonprofit and civic boards focused on education, research collaboration, and community development.
A graduate of New Mexico Tech and New Mexico Highlands University, and a longtime educator in New Mexico’s colleges and universities, Dr. Romero brings a leadership perspective shaped by place, service, and scale. His work reflects a deep understanding of New Mexico’s higher education landscape in advancing opportunity, innovation, and community vitality in rural communities while engaging confidently with national partners and priorities.