Carmen Cotei Appointed Inaugural Dean of the Queens College School of Business
—She is named the Ally Bridge Dean of Business, made possible in part by an endowment from alumnus Frank Fan Yu ’94, founding CEO and CIO of the Ally Bridge Group—
Flushing, NY, December 3, 2025—Following a national search, Queens College has named Carmen Cotei as the inaugural dean of its School of Business. Cotei, currently an associate dean at the Barney School of Business at the University of Hartford, is a nationally recognized teacher, scholar, administrator, and community leader who has won numerous awards and honors. Subject to CUNY Board of Trustees approval, she will assume office in January 2026.
“We mounted a rigorous search for the right person to lead our Business School forward, and we are extremely pleased that Carmen Cotei has accepted the challenge,” says Queens College President Frank H. Wu. “She is known as an innovative thinker and leader and has the combined faculty and administrative experience that will be key to the school’s future success. Moreover, we are grateful to the many stakeholders within and beyond the college who helped us realize our dream for the institution.”
The Business School deanship was endowed by alumnus Frank Fan Yu ’94, founding chief executive officer and chief investment officer of the Ally Bridge Group—a global health care investment management firm with offices in New York and Hong Kong. His support will fund the dean’s position in part, administrative operations, and research activities; it was structured with the assistance of the Office of Institutional Advancement.
“I am very honored to serve as the inaugural dean of the business school,” says Cotei. “This is a rare opportunity to help shape the school’s vision, building on its strong foundation and guiding it toward becoming a hub of innovation, collaboration, and impact. I look forward to working alongside faculty, students, alumni, and industry partners to create a learning environment in which bold ideas are nurtured, diverse voices are celebrated, and innovation drives meaningful change. Together, we will prepare students not only to succeed in their careers but also to make a lasting impact on their communities and beyond. I am very grateful to President Wu for offering me this opportunity and to Frank Fan Yu, whose generous gift made this appointment possible.”
Established in March 2022 in response to the projected workforce demand for business professionals in New York City, the School of Business is built on a suite of existing high quality programs in accounting, economics, and finance, as well as actuarial studies, international business, and risk management. A steering committee of faculty members and career counselors revised existing curricula, set up new tracks, and expanded career services to create the new school. The Business School Advisory Council also has provided invaluable input and support for the school’s development. Led by Lee Fensterstock, former chair of the Queens College Foundation, the advisory council includes members Adam Behlman, Michael Breit, Don Brownstein, Steve Daniels, David Epstein, Jennie Friedman, Celeste Guth, Carol Hochman, Harris Horowitz, Elene Karanicolas, Jamie Klein, Max Rodriguez, Mark Rose, Charles Swarns, Chaim Wachsberger, and David Weiner.
As the Ally Bridge Dean of Business, Cotei will report to the provost and work collaboratively with the college’s leadership to position Queens College as a leader in business education. In this pivotal role, she will be tasked with spearheading the development and accreditation of the School of Business, shaping its vision, and overseeing its administration, academic programs, faculty, and staff. She is expected to foster a high-quality environment for teaching, research, and intellectual achievement, and to create and strengthen partnerships within and outside the college.
Cotei holds a BA in finance from Bucharest University of Economic Studies and a PhD in financial economics from the University of New Orleans. Since 2004 she has been a member of the faculty at the Barney School of Business, where she also has been program director, department chair, and interim dean. Among her achievements, she led the development and launch of new academic programs, including the MBA-STEM program and an undergraduate program in fintech. Her efforts contributed to high retention rates and the establishment of external partnerships that provided students with experiential learning opportunities.
From 2021 to 2023 and since July 2024, she has served as associate dean for faculty, administration, and accreditation. In that capacity she has overseen the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) continuous improvement process, faculty development, and the school’s financial operations. She has been instrumental in advancing curriculum innovations, and has managed the school’s operating budget and restricted funds in support of strategic initiatives.
In addition, Cotei is deeply committed to community engagement. She serves on the board of directors and the investment committee for Junior Achievement of Southwest New England and she is treasurer for Upper Albany Main Street—a nonprofit that supports the Albany Avenue commercial district—in Hartford, Connecticut. In the area of leadership development, she has participated in prestigious programs sponsored by the Higher Education Resources Services Leadership Institute, AACSB International, and the Where Imagination Builds Excellence Network.
Cotei is widely published and has received many awards. Among them are the Exemplary Faculty Award, Excellence in Service Award, and Excellence in Teaching Award from the Barney School of Business. In 2017 she was honored with the Kauffman Foundation’s Best Paper Award for her work on M&A exit strategies for U.S. startup firms.
To date, with the guidance of Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Patricia Price, former School of Social Sciences Dean Kate Pechenkina led the School of Business. Pechenkina’s team included Tao Wang, acting assistant to the dean of the School of Business, and Schiro Withanachichi, who served as assistant to the dean of the School of Business until last summer.
The search committee was chaired by Nathalia Holtzman; formerly QC associate provost for innovation and student success, she is currently interim provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the College of Staten Island. The committee comprised QC faculty members David Gabel (chair, Economics), Eric Rosano (Accounting and Information Systems), Qianyun (Ivy) Huang (chair, Accounting and Information Systems), Stefan Pitschner (Economics), Andreia Duarte (Economics), and students Bernard Tetteh-Dumanya, Sujal Kumar, and Ilsa Tahir. Chief Diversity Officer and Dean of Diversity Jerima DeWese and her staff also provided guidance in the search process.
-30-