Melissa Rivera

Sr. Associate Dean of Finance and Administration, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Newark Campus

Melissa Rivera, Ph.D., is the Senior Associate Dean of Finance and Administration at Rutgers Business School–Newark and New Brunswick, a role she has held since August 2019. Reporting directly to the Dean, Dr. Rivera serves as the school’s chief financial and administrative officer, overseeing the financial, administrative, operational, facilities, and business functions of a large, complex business school serving more than 11,000 students across two campus locations.

In this role, Dr. Rivera provides strategic leadership for finance, budgeting, accounting, administration, space planning, renovations, facilities, research administration, personnel matters, employee programs, leasing, and operational services across Rutgers Business School’s Newark and New Brunswick campuses, as well as multiple off-site and international locations. She also supports administrative matters related to more than 400 lecturers per academic term and over 500 part-time hourly appointments.

Dr. Rivera contributes significantly to planning, resource allocation, policy implementation, and organizational effectiveness. Her work requires specialized expertise in accounting and finance, an in-depth understanding of higher education principles, practices, and regulations, and comprehensive knowledge of the school’s structure, operations, strategies, and objectives.

Dr. Rivera earned both her Ph.D. and Master of Public Administration from Rutgers University. She serves on various university committees, is a member of the board of trustees for a nonprofit organization, and is also a lecturer at Rutgers University.