Rossana Rosado, who was nominated by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in February to serve as New York’s 66th Secretary of State, was unanimously confirmed by the Senate Wednesday night.
Rosado will lead the Department of State, which is one of the oldest agencies in state government, having been established in 1978. Long known as the “keeper of records,” it continues today to serve as the official compiler of state agency rules and regulations and publisher of information on the State Constitution, and other official state documents. In recent years, the agency has also played a larger role in economic development efforts, overseeing the state’s community action programs and helping new Americans become assimilated in New York.
The agency also sets the state’s building construction and energy conservation standards and oversees the enforcement of those standards by local jurisdictions.
“I want to thank Governor Cuomo for nominating me to this important post and the New York State Senate for their confirmation,” Rosado said. “It is a great honor to serve the governor and the people of this great state.”
Rosado’s accomplishments include being the first woman to serve as Editor and Publisher of the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the country, El Diario La Prensa, and she was an award-winning producer. She has also championed social causes including prisoner re-entry and women’s empowerment.
She served on the board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from 2012 to 2015, was a distinguished lecturer at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and has been a member of the College’s Foundation Board of Trustees since 2012.
A native New Yorker, Rosado received her B.A. in journalism from Pace University.
She lives in Westchester with her husband and two children.
