Marianna Villa

Marianna Villa is the inaugural Vice President for External Relations and Partnerships at LMU. Her 20-year career at the university includes serving as LMU’s first Executive Director for Strategic Partnership and Initiatives, where she forged corporate relationships in Silicon Beach, leveraging the Playa Vista Campus as a hub for innovation.

In her current role, Vice President Villa serves as a thought leader and collaborator, advancing LMU’s visibility as an anchor institution in Los Angeles and opening doors for students to thrive in a rapidly evolving workforce. She oversees External Relations units including Community Relations, Government Affairs, LMU Radio/KXLU 88.9FM, and Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives. Together, these units strengthen LMU’s role as a workforce contributor, economic generator, and civic partner.
Villa has cultivated influential collaborations with the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, the Los Angeles City Council, the Los Angeles Economic Development Council, and California’s 36th Congressional District. She also represents LMU in state and federal advocacy efforts on financial aid, workforce development, and equity in higher education.

Most notably, she spearheaded LMU’s multi-year exclusive higher education partnership with the Los Angeles Rams — the first of its kind in professional sports — through which more than 1,000 LMU students in its first year alone engaged in internships, mentorships, and in-classroom experiences with the NFL team. She has also expanded LMU’s corporate and civic partnerships through initiatives with SoFi Stadium, LA28, and Silicon Beach innovators.

A proven relationship builder, Villa is dedicated to aligning industry, community, and policy partnerships in support of student success. A lifelong Lion, she earned her Bachelor of Arts in psychology from LMU and her graduate certificate in fundraising management from Indiana University.