Saint Peter’s University announced Oct. 6 the appointment of Paula Mercado Hak as the school’s first vice president and general counsel & chief external affairs officer.
As VP and general counsel, Mercado Hak will serve as the university’s chief legal officer and senior executive responsible for overseeing the institution’s legal, governmental, and public affairs.
“Her appointment marks a significant milestone for our institution, as it reflects our deep commitment to leadership that aligns with our mission and values,” said President Hubert Benitez. “With her distinguished background in both law and education, Paula brings the insight, integrity, and experience necessary to help guide the university through a complex and evolving landscape. She is an exceptional addition to our leadership team.”
Prior to joining SPU, Paula served as the assistant vice president for academic labor relations at Rutgers University, where she focused on labor and employment matters pertaining to aligned faculty and academic employees, managed university-wide labor relations, negotiated collective bargaining agreements with the unions and provided advice to all schools and administrators regarding faculty, negotiated agreements and university policies.
In addition, she has served as the general counsel and chief administrator of human resources for the non-profit corporations forming the social and behavioral health-care services arm of the Archdiocese of Newark and General Counsel of the Jersey City Public Schools.
