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All courses will be remote on Monday, January 26th.

Due to the winter storm, Columbia University will shift to remote instruction on Monday, January 26, for all classes on the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses. Students will receive additional information on how to access their remote courses.
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Roberto Lara Aranda (’22SPS)

Director of Communications, Global Outreach, Fetzer Institute; Lecturer, Strategic Communication; Executive Director, Select Learning; Interim Executive Director, Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries

Roberto Lara Aranda (’22SPS) is a mission-driven communications strategist, educator, and movement thought leader whose work sits at the intersection of spirituality, ethics, and social transformation. He currently serves as Director of Communications, Global Outreach at the Fetzer Institute, where he leads movement-building efforts to advance a sacred worldview for shared human flourishing across ideological spectrums. Roberto is also a Lecturer in the Strategic Communication program at Columbia University, where he teaches and supports courses on ethical decision-making and values-driven leadership, exploring how communication is a form of public service and moral responsibility.

Roberto also serves as the Executive Director of Select Learning, an educational platform that provides accessible resources for lay and ordained leaders, and as Interim Executive Director of Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries, a global organization dedicated to supporting and elevating LGBTQIA+ leaders serving faith-based advocacy and ministry sites. Across these roles, he is deeply committed to equipping organizations with the tools, language, and moral imagination needed to lead with integrity in times of social change.

With over 15 years of experience across philanthropy, education, faith-based organizing, and Fortune 500 brands, Roberto has led national and global campaigns, produced award-winning media, and launched platforms that foster trust, belonging, and ethical leadership. He holds an Executive M.S. in Strategic Communication from Columbia University.