María del Pilar Vélez Casanova

María del Pilar Vélez Casanova is the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Human Resources of Puerto Rico, having been appointed by Governor Jenniffer González Colón in May 2025. With over a decade of experience within the agency, she previously served in multiple leadership roles including executive director of the Contributions Office, auxiliary secretary of training and employment promotion, and director of the Recruitment Bureau. Before joining the department, she worked as human resources director for the Municipality of Vega Baja and special projects inspector in Manatí. She holds a master's degree in business administration in human resources from the University of Phoenix and a bachelor's degree in social sciences from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus.