Adelphi University appoints Michael Balboni as 11th president
Balboni is the first Adelphi alumnus and first Long Island native to be appointed to the position.
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Adelphi University has named a Long Islander as its new president.
Michael A.L. Balboni, of East Williston, a former state legislator and public safety official was announced Wednesday as the school’s 11th president.
Balboni is the first Adelphi alumnus and first Long Island native to be appointed to the position.
Graduating cum laude from the University in 1981, with a degree in biology, he is also the proud parent of an Adelphi alumna.
Entering politics in 1990 as a Republican, Balboni was first elected to the New York State Assembly in the 17th district, and then continued on to the State Senate in 1997.
In 2006, Balboni was named by then Governor-elect Eliot Spitzer as Deputy Secretary for Public Safety, overseeing homeland security.
The longtime politician made the move to the private sector in 2009, working as a consultant and eventually founding his own firm, RedLand Strategies.
Emerging from a comprehensive national search, Balboni was chosen after the university’s first female president, Christine M. Riordan, left the role in June 2025.
His term will officially commence on June 1.
In a statement, Balboni said "It is the honor of a lifetime to be named the 11th president of Adelphi University, which has been a central part of my whole life—first as a student and proud alumnus, and then as an adjunct faculty member, trustee and board chair. With a deep legacy of Adelphi alumni in my own family, I also know firsthand the transformative power of this institution across generations. I am incredibly excited about the future of Adelphi and building on its strengths. I look forward to working with our entire community to elevate our brand and deliver on our promise to students—providing an exceptional academic and campus experience with powerful outcomes."
