Yesenia Silva Estrada, MSW

Yesenia Silva Estrada, MSW

Vice President of Planning & Chief of Staff
970-947-8455 | ysilvaestrada@coloradomtn.edu

Yesenia Silva Estrada provides executive leadership for institution-wide planning, strategic initiatives, government and legislative relations, and cross-sector partnerships that advance student success and strengthen the long-term vitality of the communities CMC serves. She works closely with the President, Board of Trustees, senior leadership, faculty, staff, and external partners to align planning, policy, and resources to institutional priorities.

Yesenia oversees strategic initiatives, institutional research and analytics, externally funded programs, legislative strategy, and high-impact projects aligned with the Mountain Futures strategic plan. She leads efforts that expand access, improve outcomes, and support socioeconomic mobility for students and the broader region.

She founded and built CMC’s Office of Strategic Initiatives, establishing a coordinated institutional infrastructure to support grants development, sponsored programs, cross-functional strategy, and innovation — strengthening accountability, aligning resources with strategic priorities, and stewarding public and private investments.

Born in rural Chihuahua, Mexico, and raised in Carbondale, Colorado, Yesenia began her academic journey at CMC, earning an Associate of Arts in Business. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Science in Accounting at Regis University and a Master of Social Work at the University of Denver. A proud first-generation college graduate who immigrated to the United States as a child, she brings a deep understanding of rural communities and the transformative power of education.

Yesenia is recognized for her collaborative leadership, strategic clarity, and commitment to strengthening Colorado Mountain College in ways that ensure students, and the communities they call home, can thrive.