Pilar joined the Office of the Secretary and Vice President for University Life 2021 after leadership roles in the Office of the President and the Yale School of the Environment. Collaborating with deans of students and other student-facing administrators, she facilitates student affairs at the university level. She identifies, tracks, and resolves issues of concern for a wide range of student and campus needs particularly in the nexus of student life, mental health, and public safety. Pilar leads the implementation of the university’s guidelines on freedom of expression and peaceable assembly. She also oversees Yale Votes, the university’s student civic engagement initiative.
Pilar began her Yale career in 2002 in what is now the Yale School of the Environment. As an assistant dean, she managed every aspect of academic administration and assisted the dean in the development and implementation of strategic initiatives and programs. As the school’s inaugural diversity coordinator, she created and coordinated a range of initiatives that enhanced community building and strengthened the learning environment. Pilar was recruited to the Office of the President in 2012 to assist the president on special projects. In 2013, she was appointed the director of administrative affairs to work with faculty and staff across the university on major initiatives and advance the president’s goals and priorities. As the public face of the Office of the President, Pilar was the point of contact for students, faculty, and staff on a broad array of emerging matters.