WASHINGTON – Today, Howard University announced the appointment of Paul Monteiro to assistant vice president of External Affairs, effective immediately. He replaces Cynthia Brock-Smith, who recently retired.

“With his extensive background in governmental relations, Mr. Monteiro will bring a wealth of relevant experiences to the Office of External Affairs as it focuses on maintaining and building relationships with local, state and federal government officials,” says President Wayne A. I. Frederick. “I look forward to working with him in his new role as we continue to move the university’s mission forward.”

Monteiro has served as Howard’s chief of staff since 2017. In that role he focused on the efficient operation of the Office of the President and interfaced regularly with a broad range of stakeholders. Monteiro is a proud graduate of the University of Maryland and the Howard University School of Law. He began his federal service as a marshal's aide at the United States Supreme Court in 1999 and later worked briefly for then-White House Counsel Harriet Miers. In 2006, Monteiro served in the Washington, D.C. office of then-Senator Barack Obama before transitioning to his presidential campaign in 2007 and working as the national deputy director of religious affairs.

After the 2008 election, Monteiro joined the White House staff as an associate director of the Office of Public Engagement and coordinator of the White House Mentorship Program for young men attending local high schools. President Obama later appointed him as the national director of AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), the national service program founded in 1965. In 2015, Attorney General Loretta Lynch designated him as head of the Community Relations Service at the U.S. Department of Justice.  

Currently, Monteiro serves as an appointed member of the Prince George's County Public Schools Board of Education in Maryland where he chairs the Academic Affairs committee. 

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, one Schwarzman Scholar, over 70 Fulbright Scholars and 22 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

Media Contact: Misha Cornelius, misha.cornelius@howard.edu