Ruth Noemí Colón

Who is Ruth Noemí Colón?

Ruth Noemí Colón was the 66th Secretary of State of New York, serving in the Cabinets of Governors David Paterson and Andrew Cuomo. She was appointed by Governor Paterson to replace outgoing Secretary Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez who officially resigned on September 1, 2010. She is the state's second Secretary of State of Hispanic/Puerto Rican ancestry to have served in this office. Colón is the third Puerto Rican to serve as Secretary of State in a state of the Union, preceded only by Pedro Cortés, of Pennsylvania and former Secretary Cortés-Vázquez, respectively.

A native of Caguas, Puerto Rico, Colón joined the New York State Department of State in 2006 and has served in a number of positions within the agency, most recently as Special Counsel, where she advised then-Secretary Cortés-Vázquez on strategic planning and a wide range of policy and legal issues.

A graduate of the University of Puerto Rico and Pace University School of Law, Secretary Colón has over 20 years experience working in government on policy and communications issues. Prior to joining the Department of State, Colón served as the Deputy Director for Communications at the New York City Housing Authority and acted as a liaison to the New York City Mayor’s Office on issues concerning the Latino community. She has also served in a number of senior positions within the Puerto Rican government and has been admitted to practice law in New York, Connecticut and the District of Columbia.