Hostos Community College proudly announces that Dr. Evelyn Fernández-Ketcham, Vice President of Continuing Education and Workforce Development, has been recognized as a Nonprofit Trailblazer by City & State New York. This honor celebrates her outstanding leadership and impact in advancing education and workforce development systems that serve individuals and families in diverse communities.
“Dr. Fernández-Ketcham’s work reflects a deep and enduring commitment to uplifting communities through education and opportunity,” said Hostos President Daisy Cocco De Filippis. “We are proud to see her recognized for the transformative impact she continues to make. Brava!”
With a track record managing multimillion-dollar federal, state, and city-funded programs, including grants from Health Resources and Services Administration, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Mother Cabrini Foundation, Dr. Fernández-Katcham’s career spans decades of service and scholarship in education, workforce, economic development, and bilingual community engagement. She founded the New Heights Neighborhood Center through a U.S. Department of Labor School-to-Work grant, a nonprofit which developed an integrated service model for young adults aged 18–24.
A passionate educator, she has held academic appointments at Yeshiva University, Columbia University, and CUNY, mentoring graduate students and teaching courses in social work and nonprofit management. Her scholarly work focuses on the intersection of culture, emerging adulthood, and economic opportunity, culminating in her doctoral dissertation on Dominican youth in urban community colleges.
Dr. Fernández-Ketcham earned her Ph.D. from Yeshiva University’s Wurzweiler School of Social Work, a Master of Science from Columbia University’s School of Social Work, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Marymount College.