Bio: José L. Melendrez is an accomplished higher education administrator and educator with deep expertise in community engagement, coalition building, and culturally responsive leadership. He holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Michigan, with a focus on Communities and Social Systems.
In August 2025, José was appointed as the Associate Vice Provost for Academic Partnerships & Initiatives, where he provides hands-on leadership advancing UNLV’s strategic partnerships across campus and with community organizations. From October 2023, he served in a dual role as Interim Vice President for Diversity Initiatives/Chief Diversity Officer and Executive Director for Community Partnerships in the School of Public Health. In these roles, reporting to the President and serving on the President’s Cabinet, José led the development, implementation, and promotion of university-wide strategies to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ), and provided strategic oversight of policies and initiatives that foster an excellent and inclusive campus climate.
As Executive Director for Community Partnerships, José coordinated and expanded partnerships supporting student and faculty engagement with community-based organizations and public health agencies, advancing internships, research, and educational programming. He provides leadership in community engagement, experiential learning through internships and practicums, and service on national, state, and local health equity boards. His current service includes the Board of Directors of the Southern Nevada Health District Community Health Center (FQHC) and membership on the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services Health Care Workforce Working Group. He also serves in leadership with the Nevada Community Health Coalition.
José serves as UNLV’s liaison to national Hispanic-Serving and Minority-Serving Institution initiatives, including the Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Research Universities, Excelencia in Education, the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education, the Hispanic Association for Colleges and Universities (HACU), and AANAPISI networks. Jose led the UNLV SEAL team in five-year effort, earning the SEAL of Excelencia in 2025. He is a longtime member of the Latin Chamber of Commerce, currently serving on the Latin Chamber of Commerce Community Foundation, and is a member of the Latino Legacy Workgroup with the Public Education Foundation.