Tamara T. Cunningham

Tamara Cunningham, Ed.D., is the inaugural Associate Vice Chancellor for Global Initiatives | ArtsConnect and Campus Activation at UC San Diego, where she leads the university’s strategic internationalization agenda and advances the university's vision as a premier destination for arts, culture, innovation, and global engagement.

With more than 25 years of leadership in higher education, she partners with faculty to drive transformative initiatives at the intersection of global collaboration, research innovation, and inclusive excellence. Dr. Cunningham secured a $1 million global internship grant to expand equitable access to international education opportunities and spearheaded UC San Diego’s first U.S. institutional presence in GIFT City, India, focused on financial technology and global innovation. As a NAFSA and IIE Community of Practice for Partnerships board member, Tamara is a strategic thought partner who champions, equitable global education, international student mobility, high-impact academic and research partnerships, and the cultivation of an ecosystem that positions the arts as a core pillar of campus life and engagement.