Comment on Nominate Your Candidate for the 2026 Onyx Woman Leadership Awards by Quinn Guy
Rhonda Fischer holds quite a few titles, but I have the honor to work with her at Carnegie Mellon University - Tepper School of Business. Rhonda is a seasoned leader who is motivated to help mission-based organizations increase their impact through operational excellence. She joined the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University as its inaugural Chief Operating Officer in June 2019. At Tepper, she is responsible for the effective management of the school’s administrative functions – including Finance, Technology Services, Facilities and Human Resources. She partners closely with the school’s deans, faculty and staff members to operationalize the school’s strategic and educational priorities. Rhonda values collaboration and partnership and has worked with stakeholders across the University in support of Tepper’s goals, on search committees for key leadership roles, and most recently on CMU’s strategic planning committee. Dedicating nearly 20 years of her career to serving mission-based organizations committed to addressing societal challenges and is a committed civic leader. Currently, she serves on the Board of Trustees for the POISE Foundation, and the Advisory Board for the Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI), where she has also been an Executive Mentor. Rhonda is an active member of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Links, Inc. and Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Through both organizations, she has been active in planning and executing programs that support the community. She was named a 2024 Woman of Excellence by the New Pittsburgh Courier; 2021 Woman of Distinction in Business by the Girls Scouts of Western Pennsylvania; and is a recent graduate (2025) of Leadership Pittsburgh (LP XLI). Rhonda has lived in Pittsburgh six and a half years and has made a profound impact within the community and at the Tepper School of Business. She leads by example, serving as a beacon of positivity and integrity. Her dedication, compassion, and tireless commitment to uplifting others have made her a source of inspiration to colleagues and community members alike. I am nominating Rhonda Fischer because she is a pillar of Black excellence not only in Pittsburgh, but beyond. Through her leadership, mentorship, and unwavering spirit, Rhonda continues to inspire not only me but others, empowering those around her to strive for excellence and lead with purpose. Her presence brightens every space she enters, and her influence leaves a legacy of hope, strength, and community.
Black News 
Rhonda Fischer holds quite a few titles, but I have the honor to work with her at Carnegie Mellon University – Tepper School of Business. Rhonda is a seasoned leader who is motivated to help mission-based organizations increase their impact through operational excellence. She joined the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University as its inaugural Chief Operating Officer in June 2019. At Tepper, she is responsible for the effective management of the school’s administrative functions – including Finance, Technology Services, Facilities and Human Resources. She partners closely with the school’s deans, faculty and staff members to operationalize the school’s strategic and educational priorities. Rhonda values collaboration and partnership and has worked with stakeholders across the University in support of Tepper’s goals, on search committees for key leadership roles, and most recently on CMU’s strategic planning committee.
Dedicating nearly 20 years of her career to serving mission-based organizations committed to addressing societal challenges and is a committed civic leader. Currently, she serves on the Board of Trustees for the POISE Foundation, and the Advisory Board for the Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI), where she has also been an Executive Mentor. Rhonda is an active member of the Pittsburgh chapter of the Links, Inc. and Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Through both organizations, she has been active in planning and executing programs that support the community. She was named a 2024 Woman of Excellence by the New Pittsburgh Courier; 2021 Woman of Distinction in Business by the Girls Scouts of Western Pennsylvania; and is a recent graduate (2025) of Leadership Pittsburgh (LP XLI).
Rhonda has lived in Pittsburgh six and a half years and has made a profound impact within the community and at the Tepper School of Business. She leads by example, serving as a beacon of positivity and integrity. Her dedication, compassion, and tireless commitment to uplifting others have made her a source of inspiration to colleagues and community members alike.
I am nominating Rhonda Fischer because she is a pillar of Black excellence not only in Pittsburgh, but beyond. Through her leadership, mentorship, and unwavering spirit, Rhonda continues to inspire not only me but others, empowering those around her to strive for excellence and lead with purpose. Her presence brightens every space she enters, and her influence leaves a legacy of hope, strength, and community.
