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Richard Winters supports the work of the college president and chief of staff/vice president for communication, and helps develop and execute institutional initiatives and strategic planning priorities. As director of community and government relations, he works to strengthen regional and community engagement, market the College internally and externally, and create and enhance relationships with multiple campus and external constituencies. This function includes planning, directing, and executing institutional-level events, and serving as a key liaison between the office and government officials, chambers of commerce, and other business and community organizations. Winters represents and accompanies the president at various regional events with these and other groups and SUNY System-wide programs, including advocacy days and other legislative opportunities for the College. He also supports and manages records requests and other legal matters, as well as economic development projects that come before the President’s Office.

In addition to these roles, Winters is a member of the Office of Communication and Marketing. He supervises creative, design and brand services staff with print and mail services reporting up through his area. Winters supports the College’s strategic communication efforts, including writing/editing presidential correspondence, public remarks, campus-wide announcements; consulting on design and brand issues; and crisis communication.

Before joining the President’s Office as community and government relations associate in 2013, Winters worked for nearly three years as a freshman admission advisor in the College’s Office of Undergraduate Admission. He was responsible for advising prospective students through the admission and enrollment processes. He also reviewed and fully evaluated applications for first-year admission, conducted on- and off-campus information sessions for families of prospective students, and coordinated with academic faculty to enhance the admission process for the College’s seven-year joint medical programs.

Winters serves as a longtime member and chair of the College’s Judicial Hearing Committee, overseeing hearings for students who face various violations of institutional policy.

Winters began his professional career working for Former Congressman John Hall from 2008 to 2011, initially as a staff assistant and then as a district representative. He led outreach efforts to constituents within the congressman’s district that included parts or all of several counties in the Hudson Valley. He interacted with local, state, and federal officials, business/community members, and other stakeholders on issues affecting the district. He also guided economic development projects, managed individual constituent casework issues, and designed and executed events on behalf of the congressman.

Winters is a proud graduate of SUNY New Paltz. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in political science in 2008, and a Master of Arts in higher education administration from Stony Brook University in 2013. He resides in Wappingers Falls with his wife, Alex, a 2009 SUNY New Paltz alumna, and their children, Logan and Brooke.