Leadership

Ruben Diaz Jr. joined Montefiore Einstein in 2022 after serving as Bronx Borough President from 2009-2021, where he led an unprecedented revival of the Bronx in areas of economic development, job creation, health, and housing. Prior to serving as Borough President, Mr. Diaz was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1997-2009.

Through his leadership, Mr. Diaz generated $27 billion in private investments in the Bronx, and he worked collaboratively to secure crucial development projects for the borough, including 55,000 units of housing. His efforts contributed to the drop in unemployment from 14% in 2009 to 4% in 2021. In 2015, Mr. Diaz partnered with Montefiore Einstein and others to launch the #Not62 campaign, dedicated to improving the overall health and well-being of Bronx residents, bringing together stakeholders from across multiple sectors to address the determinants of health.

Mr. Diaz graduated from Lehman College, City University of New York and La Guardia Community College. In addition, he is the recipient of honorary doctoral degrees in civil law from Berkeley College and Mercy College, and a doctoral degree in humane letters from the Metropolitan College of New York.