New York, N.Y. (October 27, 2025) – PoliticsNY and amNY have selected Interim President Elizabeth de León Bhargava as a Power Player in Education for 2025. The list recognizes leaders across New York State, including college presidents, nonprofit directors and policymakers, who are creating pathways of opportunity within the educational system.
Read more below, and view the full list on the PoliticsNY website.
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Elizabeth de León Bhargava
Interim President, Guttman Community College, CUNY
Guttman Community College’s Interim President Elizabeth de León Bhargava, Esq. has more than 25 years of federal, state, and city government experience. Most recently serving as assistant secretary at HUD and as a presidential appointee on the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity, her career spans the NYS Attorney General’s office and the City Council. A first-generation college student, she holds degrees from Binghamton University and SUNY Buffalo Law School.
How has the educational landscape changed in recent years and what are your hopes for its future?
Since Guttman opened its doors in 2012, we’ve led many changes in community college education focused on removing the barriers to student success, offering guided academic pathways, reformed remediation, and comprehensive support addressing food insecurity, mental health, and debt. Expanding access is crucial as we continue to be engines of economic mobility and catalysts of opportunity for diverse communities.
What do you most enjoy about working in education?
It’s absolutely the people. I am a New Yorker through and through, and I love being around honest, hard-working people in a city where growth is always happening. I look forward to collaborating, implementing innovative new ideas, and creating community partnerships that will help connect our affordable, high-quality education with potential students throughout the five boroughs. Who’s ready to partner?
As this year comes to an end, what are your goals for 2026?
We know what it takes to graduate students who are equipped to enter the workforce or pursue further study and skill development. At Guttman, we’re all about the data, and from the beginning, we have leaned into research and evidence-based best practices that benefit ALL learners. I want to see more students cross that stage with a degree that propels them and their families forward.
