Javier A. Reyes, Ph.D, became the 31st leader of the University of Massachusetts Amherst on July 1, 2023, following his selection as chancellor of the commonwealth’s flagship campus by the UMass Board of Trustees.
Reyes is an economist who has devoted his career to the cause of public higher education, holding leadership positions at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), West Virginia University, and the University of Arkansas. He most recently served as interim chancellor of UIC, Chicago’s largest university campus. Born and raised in Mexico, Reyes is the first Hispanic person to serve as chancellor of UMass Amherst.
Reyes received his bachelor’s degree in economics from the Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, Campus Estado de Mexico, in 1998, and his doctorate in economics from Texas A&M University in 2003. He is actively engaged with the TIAA Diversity Council and the Association of Latino Professionals For America (ALPFA).
“UMass Amherst is an amazing institution…a place for everyone to grow, thrive, and succeed.”
—Chancellor Javier Reyes
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“Javier Reyes is an innovative and dynamic leader who will harness the full potential of UMass Amherst. He will inspire students and faculty alike to continue growing the school’s excellence in education and research.”
—Maura Healey, Governor of Massachusetts
“A bold and innovative leader, Javier Reyes has inspired students in the classroom, supported initiatives that have unleashed the teaching and research talents of faculty, and connected great public universities to the socioeconomic aspirations of their communities.”
—Marty Meehan, UMass President
“Chancellor Reyes understands that UMass Amherst is the commonwealth’s indispensable education and research engine. We were determined to find a special leader who could build on all that has been accomplished over the past decade and help drive our flagship campus even higher. We have found that exact person in Dr. Javier Reyes.”
—Stephen R. Karam, chairman of the UMass Board of Trustees
