Diana Villarnovo Lopez, J78, A25P, is an accomplished business advisor in both the public and private sectors with more than 30 years of experience in highly regulated industries, including aviation, railroads and affordable housing. She has been a senior advisor and general counsel to multi-national corporations, public agencies, government officials and executives.
Most recently, Diana was Senior Vice President and General Counsel at New York State Homes and Community Renewal, New York’s affordable housing agency. Diana has served in two Presidential Administrations: in President Biden’s administration at the U.S. Department of Transportation as Senior Advisor to the Administrator at the Federal Railroad Administration and in President Obama’s administration at the U.S. Department of State as Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy & Business Affairs. Diana’s public service included serving as Senior Advisor to the Executive Director of The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, leading critical aspects of the public private partnership for the redevelopment of LaGuardia Airport and as General Counsel & Secretary for Gateway Program Development Corporation, advising on the execution of the Gateway Program.
Before her government service, Diana was Counsel, Mergers & Acquisitions, at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and instrumental in establishing the firm’s Latin America practice. As Associate General Counsel and Vice President of Sotheby’s, Inc., Diana advised the company on financing the purchase of Vincent Van Gogh’s Les Irises. Diana began her legal career as a judicial law clerk to The Honorable John E. Sprizzo, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York, then joined Debevoise & Plimpton as a corporate associate.
Diana was elected to the Tufts University Board of Trustees in 2014, and currently chairs the Compensation Committee and serves on the Committee on Trusteeship, the Administration and Finance Committee and the Buildings and Grounds Committee. She is a founding member of the Tufts NYC Women’s Networking Group and active in the Tufts Lawyers Association and Women Impact Tufts. She is also a member of the Tufts Alumni Council, having served many years on its Executive Committee. Diana was part of the leadership team organizing the 2023 One Tufts Miami event.
In 2023, Diana was awarded the Leadership Award for Hispanic Excellence, an award established to honor a trailblazer in the Tufts community who has made extraordinary contributions to the life of the university through their service; deepened the engagement of alumni, parents, and friends globally; and set a new standard for excellence in leadership through inspiration and influence.
Diana earned her Bachelor of Arts cum laude from Tufts University; a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University, where she was the Lead Articles Editor for The Tax Lawyer; and a Master of Science in Foreign Service, also from Georgetown University.
Diana Lopez, J78, A25P