Joshua Farrelman named University of Rochester vice president for government relations
He will work to advance the University’s legislative priorities and advise University leaders on state, federal, and local government issues and strategy.
Joshua Farrelman, associate vice president of government and community relations at the University of Rochester, has been named vice president for government relations, effective April 1.
Farrelman, who joined the University in 2005 as assistant director of government and community relations, succeeds Peter Robinson, who will retire on March 31 after more than 40 years at the University.
The institution-wide Office of Government and Community Relations manages federal, state, and local government relations on behalf of the University, inclusive of the Medical Center and its affiliates, and works to build coalitions to support issues of importance to education, research, healthcare, innovation, and the arts and humanities.
The vice president for government relations leads the office and the University’s overall legislative efforts locally, in Albany, and in Washington, DC, developing strong relationships with elected officials, government, national and state associations, and local government leaders. In this role, Farrelman will be the primary point of contact for government officials and leaders who seek to interface with the president, provost, deans, faculty, and senior administrators at the University, and will advise on state, federal, and local government issues and strategy as part of President Sarah Mangelsdorf’s senior leadership group.
“Josh is a proven and respected leader and is already a trusted adviser to the University’s leadership team, providing extensive knowledge and sound guidance on the latest government activities in Washington and Albany,” Mangelsdorf says. “He has a deep understanding of the University’s role in the greater Rochester community and has done so much to create integral connections that propel forward key economic development and community initiatives. I look forward to continuing to work with Josh and his team to advance our institutional priorities, including the important government relations work that furthers our position as one of the country’s leading research universities.”
After beginning as an assistant director of government and community relations, Farrelman was named director in 2007, and then associate vice president in 2014. In these roles, he has worked closely with senior leadership to lead the University’s advocacy efforts, has assisted with the development and implementation of the University’s legislative strategies and priorities, and served as a main point of contact for legislators and government and community officials on issues related to the University.
Among his accomplishments, Farrelman has shaped public policy and guided significant support for important University projects and programs that have expanded the University’s cutting-edge research; strengthened access to patient care and public health services in urban and rural communities across New York state; improved the quality and access to higher education; enriched the arts and humanities; spurred economic development and created new jobs and companies; and improved campus safety.
He has been heavily involved in advancing community-focused projects and initiatives, such as the successful partnership between the University and East High; the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative and the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council; and the securing of public support for the Strong Memorial Hospital Emergency Department Expansion and Modernization Project, Mt. Hope Family Center, Eastman School of Music, and Memorial Art Gallery.
In helping to propel and support the University’s research enterprise, he has worked closely with the state and Congressional delegations to support and grow the University’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics, established new centers of excellences, funded new labs and facilities, and was a leading advocate for the University joining the Empire AI consortium.
In the area of economic development, Farrelman worked collaboratively with local, regional, state and federal leaders around the development and passage of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, as well as the New York Semiconductor Manufacturing and Research Technology Innovation Corridor (NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub) application. In addition, he works to grow the University’s affiliate, NextCorps, as the region’s only state and federally designated business incubator.
“I appreciate the timely information and thoughtful insights Josh routinely provides Medical Center leadership, along with the close relationships he and his team help us to maintain with public officials at the local, state, and national level,” says David Linehan, CEO of the University of Rochester Medical Center and dean of the School of Medicine and Dentistry. “Josh has earned this leadership position, and I look forward to continue working closely with him to advance our health care missions in partnership with the communities we serve.”
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve the University in this important role under Sarah’s leadership and in close collaboration with David and other senior leaders at the University,” Farrelman says. “I also want to acknowledge and thank Peter Robinson for his mentorship and many contributions to this role. With the continued partnership and support of our public officials, community leaders, and a talented government and community relations team, I look forward to advancing the University’s research, education, healthcare, economic, cultural, and community efforts for the betterment of the institution and the Rochester-Finger Lakes region and beyond.”
Farrelman was previously an assistant director for the American Library Association’s Office of Government Relations, and prior to that served as senior legislative assistant to US Representative Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT), and as legislative assistant for the late US Representative Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY) in her Washington office. Farrelman earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from the State University of New York at Cortland.
In 2011, he was named a Rochester Business Journal “40 Under 40” honoree for his professional success and significant civic contributions to the community. He is a member of the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub Advisory Board, the OneROC Leadership Group, and is a past member of the steering committees for the Association of American Universities, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and The Science Coalition. He is a volunteer member of the Rochester Convention Center Management Corporation, Rochester Rotary, and serves on the boards of the Rochester Downtown Development Corporation, and the Center for Governmental Research.