Dee Dee Mozeleski, senior vice president of the Office of Institutional Advancement, Communications and External Relations (OIACER) at The City College of New York (CCNY), has been recognized by City & State with inclusion in its 2025 Trailblazers in Economic Development list. In addition to her leadership role at CCNY, Mozeleski serves as executive director of the Foundation for City College, Inc., and as a senior advisor to the college’s president. The honor highlights individuals who have made significant contributions to expanding economic opportunities across New York. n nCity & State emphasized Mozeleski’s multifaceted impact at the institution, noting her instrumental role in advancing workforce and economic development initiatives. Among her key achievements is the launch of the Charles B. Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Development Initiative, designed to broaden access to job training in transportation, construction, and clean energy sectors while creating viable career pathways for participants. She also oversees the Zahn Innovation Center, an entrepreneurial incubator offering collaborative workspaces, hackathons, and intensive bootcamps aimed at nurturing startup growth. n nCCNY President Vincent G. Boudreau praised Mozeleski’s innovative integration of diverse disciplines—philanthropy, government relations, grant acquisition, community engagement, and industry collaboration—to drive workforce advancement. He highlighted that her original responsibilities centered on communications and fundraising, not workforce development, underscoring her ability to transcend traditional roles and pioneer new models for institutional impact. n nMozeleski’s leadership has previously earned her recognition from prominent organizations. In June, she was named a 2025 Crain’s New York Business Notable Leader in Philanthropy. Earlier accolades include being listed among Crain’s 2023 Notables in Advertising, Marketing & PR, and receiving the 2021 CASE District II Professional of the Year award, which honors excellence in institutional advancement and community service. That same year, she was also recognized by Crain’s as a leader in Nonprofits and Philanthropy for her efforts supporting New Yorkers during the pandemic. n nHer professional affiliations include serving on the cabinet of CASE’s District II, the board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ New York City chapter, the ethics committee of AFP Global, and as a board member and mentor for the National Scholarship Providers Association. n
— news from The City University of New York
— News Original —
City & State names CCNY Sr. VP Dee Dee Mozeleski to 2025 Trailblazer in Economic Development list – CUNY Newswire
In recent years, Dee Dee Mozeleski’s outstanding work in philanthropy, advertising, marketing and public relations has earned her top honors from Crain’s New York Business and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). The accolades continue for The City College of New York’s senior vice president of the Office of Institutional Advancement, Communications and External Relations (OIACER), who also serves as executive director of the Foundation for City College, Inc., and as senior advisor to the CCNY President. Mozeleski has been named to City & State’s 2025 Trailblazers in Economic Development list. n nThe honor recognizes influential people dedicated to enhancing economic opportunities in New York. n nCity & State cites Mozeleski for wearing many hats at The City College, “where she helps advance economic and workforce development programs.” n nShe’s hailed for launching the Charles B. Rangel Infrastructure Workforce Development Initiative, “which aims to expand job training in transportation, construction and clean energy and provide pathways to jobs in the industry. Mozeleski also oversees the Zahn Innovation Center, a startup incubator program featuring coworking space, hackathons and bootcamps for entrepreneurs. Additionally, Mozeleski serves as executive director of the Foundation for City College and senior adviser to the school’s president.” n n“I’m thrilled that Dee Mozeleski is getting this recognition for her contributions to workforce development,” said CCNY President Vincent G. Boudreau. “She is smart and dedicated, certainly. But one other fact jumps off the page for me: her initial and continuing work at CCNY put her in charge of our philanthropic and communications departments (not workforce development!). What makes her a true pathbreaker in this field, however, is her recognition that a modern approach to workforce development will combine philanthropy, government relations, grant writing, community outreach, and industry partnerships. Dee has great capacity in each of these fields, and by weaving them together in her work, she excels as an innovator in the field—a true pathbreaker.” n nMozeleski’s recent honors have recognized these skills. n nLast June, she was named a 2025 Crain’s New York Business Notable Leader in Philanthropy for her commitment to advancing her industry and community. n nIn 2023, Mozeleski was named a Crain’s Notable in Advertising, Marketing & PR, a recognition of top leaders in those fields in the New York metro area. And in 2021, she was named a CASE District II Professional of the Year and a Crain’s New York Business’ Notable in Nonprofits and Philanthropy. n nThe Professional of the Year award recognizes a District II institutional advancement professional who has demonstrated exceptional achievement in the development of an institutional advancement program or innovative execution of programs within an area of advancement; contributed to the profession through work with CASE; and volunteered in service to the community or charitable organizations. The Crain’s list of Notables in Nonprofits and Philanthropy was a celebration of 57 New York heroes who facilitated or led nonprofit work in the face of the pandemic. All of the honorees who made the list were chosen for their effort to help New Yorkers ride out the upheaval wrought by Covid-19. n nMozeleski is a cabinet member of CASE’s District II, a board member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals’ New York City chapter and an ethics committee member of AFP Global; and a board member and mentor of the National Scholarship Providers Association.