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Tamara Cunningham
Inaugural Associate Vice Chancellor for Global Initiatives and Arts & Campus Activation, and Chief of Staff for Student Affairs and Campus Life, UC San Diego


Tamara HeadshotTamara Cunningham is a visionary leader in higher education, renowned for over two decades of driving innovation, fostering inclusion, and delivering transformative global impact. As the inaugural Associate Vice Chancellor for Global Initiatives at UC San Diego, she is redefining the university’s global engagement strategy, building bridges across cultures, and she is actively positioning UC San Diego as a global powerhouse. 

Tamara’s leadership spans a dynamic portfolio, including international partnerships, global research, study abroad programs, and international student and scholar services. In just two years, her strategic vision has achieved groundbreaking milestones: securing a $1 million grant for global internships and fulfilling the Chancellor vision to establish the first U.S. institutional presence in Gujarat International Financial Technology (GIFT) City with the 2025 launch of the International Financial Technology Institute in India.  

Before joining UC San Diego, Tamara spearheaded the global strategy at New Jersey City University, where she successfully completed the American Council on Education’s (A.C.E.) Internationalization Lab. Her expertise in integrating diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) into internationalization initiatives led to her co-authoring a pivotal A.C.E. framing guide and contributing to the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ Committee on Internationalization, focusing on DEIJ and community engagement. 
  
Tamara’s commitment to equity and access in global education is unwavering. She serves on the Board of Directors for NAFSA: Association of International Educators and is the lead institutional host for the 2025 NAFSA Annual Conference and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities Presidents’ Meeting. 
  
Tamara holds a master’s degree in Communications and Information Studies from Rutgers University and a bachelor’s degree in English from New Jersey City University. Currently pursuing her doctorate in Educational Leadership at St. Peter’s University, her research focuses on creating pathways to global education for Black male students. 
 
With a career defined by innovation, inclusion, and impact, Tamara Cunningham is working alongside a dynamic generation of senior international officers shaping the future of global higher education.