Vice President Raquel Peña Rodríguez is taking time from her busy schedule to teach a course in Entrepreneurship in a business administration masters program (Gestion Empresarial) at her former alma mater, the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM). The classes are from 7 to 9pm on Tuesdays for the September-December quarter. The first day of classes on Tuesday, 10 September 2024, coincided with her birthday. She had a turnout of 47 students.
On Monday, 9 September 2024, Vice President Raquel Pena had announced she was resuming teaching when speaking at the event marking the start of the 2024-2025 academic year for the leading private university. She encouraged Dominican youth to view public service as a path to becoming agents of societal change. She urged them to see public service as a noble vocation and a chance to work for the common good, positively impact others’ lives, and contribute to building a fairer and more equitable nation.
Vice President Raquel Peña Rodriguez was a professor at the university and held the position of vice rector for Administration and Finance when she was recruited by presidential candidate Luis Abinader to be his running mate in the election in 2020. She was reelected for a second term in 2024.
Peña Rodríguez began her dual vocation of teaching in 2000, taking on roles as a professor at PUCMM for both undergraduate and graduate levels.
She also founded the PUCMM Entrepreneurship Center and led the International Center for Innovation in Technology and Administration (CITAM), fostering innovation and entrepreneurial spirit within the university community.
Born in Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic, Peña graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) in Santiago and then furthered her education with an MBA, earning dual degrees from Universidad APEC and the University of Quebec in Montreal.
Raquel Peña’s career is also marked by significant achievements in the business world. She held leadership positions in her family’s commercial and tobacco businesses, managing operations and driving growth. Her extensive experience in the private sector has provided her with a deep understanding of business dynamics and economic development, which she has leveraged in her public service roles. She has also been an active member of several business associations, contributing to the development of the business community in the northern region of the Dominican Republic.
President Luis Abinader has consistently delegated to his Vice President the task forces for difficult sectors. Peña at the start of the 2020 administration was named to lead the Health Cabinet that would call the shots for the Covid-19 pandemic. The Dominican Republic is credited as one of the most successful cases of handling the crisis.
She was named in 2021 to lead the Investment Promotion Cabinet (Decreto 849-21), positioning the Dominican Republic as a prime destination for foreign investment. She has traveled abroad to meet with key statesmen to secure new investments. She also was named to preside the electricity cabinet (Decree 594-22) in 2022.
The Vice President has been mentioned together with Santo Domingo Mayor Carolina Mejia and Tourism Minister David Collado as one of the main contenders to be the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) candidate for President in 2028.
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Presidency
El Nuevo Diario
Diario Libre
11 September 2024