Lydia Rodriguez-Bumgardner has the honor and privilege of being the current Registrar for The New School of Biblical Theology.  She was born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx, New York.  Her parents were born in Puerto Rico and came to New York after World War II.  Her father served in the United States Army. Growing up her parents were Elders and Deacons in the United Presbyterian Church, USA and helped to found Home Presbyterian Church in the South Bronx, New York.

Lydia’s faith was nurtured in that church community, growing to eventually be baptized, confirmed and become a member.  She served the Lord and that congregation as a Sunday school teacher, Youth Counselor and Deacon.  At age 18 she became one of the youngest persons to be elected to the office of Elder at that congregation in New York City Presbytery.  She served as Clerk of Session for many years.

Her love for the community in the South Bronx led her to open and direct a Summer Day Camp at the church, serving children from ages 5 to 14 all summer long.  The church provided breakfast and lunch, Bible study, tutoring in math, reading and writing, as well as recreation.  The children were taken on trips twice a week to parks, swimming, museums and ball games.  Older teenagers were employed as Assistant Group Counselors, tutors, sports coaches and arts and crafts instructors.  Some of these children and teenagers continued going to the church activities that were provided throughout the year and were led to faith and eventual church membership through the testimony of outreach and love from the church community.

Lydia served the Presbytery of New York City as chairperson of various committees and worked as a Youth counselor for the Area Group Planning Unit. She served on several committees working with youth in the Synod of New York.  Ms. Rodriguez served as a Youth Intern for the General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church, USA.  In this capacity she traveled across the United States to work with Native American, African-American and Latino youth from Presbyterian faith communities.

In 1992 she entered New York Theological Seminary to pursue a theological degree.  At the same time she was hired as Assistant Registrar for the school.  She obtained a Master of Professional Studies in 1996.  She continued to work in the Registrar’s Office and in 2007 became the Registrar, serving until October of 2019.

Ms. Rodriguez-Bumgardner is a graduate of Hunter College, CUNY with a BA degree in Communications and Theater.  She has worked as a teacher in New York City public schools, an administrator for the NYC Human Resources department, and an administrator for Church Women United, as well as the Presbytery of New York City.  She has also headed a Community Outreach Center for First Spanish Presbyterian Church in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, administering a daily soup kitchen, community services and a child day care center.

Currently living in Springfield Gardens, Queens, Lydia is married for 39 years to Elder Norman S. Bumgardner.  They have two beloved daughters, Aviva Miriam and Rachel Elizabeth.  Lydia enjoys singing, reading and swimming, as well as movies, the theater, opera and ballet.