In her new role, Cinque will lead the university’s human resources strategy, overseeing talent acquisition, employee experience and workforce development in support of Quinnipiac’s commitment to attracting and retaining a high-performing workforce.

In announcing Cinque’s appointment, Mark Varholak, chief financial officer at Quinnipiac, said, "Jennifer brings an exceptional combination of strategic leadership, higher education experience and a deep understanding of organizational development. Her proven ability to enhance human resources operations, strengthen workplace culture and align talent strategies with institutional priorities will be invaluable as Quinnipiac continues to advance its strategic vision."

Cinque will join Quinnipiac from the University of New Haven, where she serves as chief human resources officer and a member of the university's cabinet. In that role, she oversees the institution's human resources portfolio, including talent strategy, total rewards, learning and organizational development, employee and labor relations, HR operations and HR technology.

During her tenure, Cinque led several significant institutional initiatives, including the creation of the university's first enterprise career and compensation architecture, the implementation of a formal recruitment and performance management framework aligned with institutional priorities and the modernization of HR systems and processes to improve operational efficiency, data integrity and employee experiences. She also introduced leadership development and employee engagement initiatives that strengthened organizational culture and workforce capability.

Before joining the University of New Haven, Cinque spent more than a decade at Yale University in senior human resources leadership positions focused on organizational effectiveness, staffing and career development. Her work included talent management, leadership development, workforce planning and human resources transformation, leading to the implementation of enterprise-wide human capital management systems, talent management platforms and succession planning initiatives.

Cinque is also a Quinnipiac alumna, earning a master's degree in organizational leadership in 2018.

"The education and experience I gained at Quinnipiac have been instrumental in shaping my career and leadership philosophy," said Cinque. "It is both a privilege and a responsibility to bring that knowledge back to the institution that invested in my development. I credit Quinnipiac for much of my professional success and look forward to continuing to enhance the faculty and staff experience through meaningful service and strategic leadership."

Cinque will join Quinnipiac on August 3.