Francisco Pardo, J.D., has served NACUA and its members since July 2017. As a member of NACUA’s leadership team, he works daily to execute the association’s strategic framework to sustain excellence, enhance the member experience, and innovate for the future. He enjoys forging meaningful connections with the wonderful community of members across the country and working to ensure that NACUA continually supports their needs as the home of higher education law.
As NACUA’s Director of Legal Resources, Francisco oversees NACUA’s full array of continuing legal education programming and publications. He leads a team of talented lawyers and professionals who provide excellent, insightful, and timely information to advance the practice of higher education law. For close to a decade, he has served as the primary staff member responsible for the development and implementation of the legal education sessions and content for the NACUA Annual Conference. In addition, he assists with collaborative programming efforts between NACUA and other national higher education associations, as well as with external outreach to government agencies, regulators, and thought leaders.
Prior to joining NACUA, Francisco served as Associate Director in the Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action at Columbia University, where he investigated discrimination, harassment, and sexual misconduct complaints made against faculty and staff, worked to ensure disability access, and promoted diversity and inclusion. He began his legal career in public service as the Complaints & Investigations Analyst for the New York City Campaign Finance Board, handling sensitive and high-profile investigations to ensure compliance with New York City’s landmark taxpayer-funded campaign finance system and to root out public corruption.
Francisco has served on the Board of Directors of several nonprofit organizations, including Equal Justice Works and the National Youth Leadership Council. He earned a Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude and Phi Betta Kappa from The George Washington University, after enjoying a year at the University of Oxford studying politics, law, and history. He earned a Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law and was awarded the Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award.
fpardo@nacua.org