Irene M. Zoppi

Irene M. Zoppi Rodríguez (née Miller Rodríguez; born August 22, 1966), is a retired U.S. Army Reserve brigadier general and academic. She was the first Puerto Rican woman ever to attain that rank in the Army Reserve. Her final assignment was deputy commanding general for United States Army South as the director of the Army Reserve Engagement Cell for Individual Mobilization Augmentees. Zoppi is an adjunct professor at Strayer University. She has worked as an instructor for the National Intelligence University where she directed the university's academic center within the National Security Agency.

Early life and education Zoppi was born and raised in the town of Canóvanas, Puerto Rico. Her grandmother and aunts encouraged her to pursue a career. When she was in eighth grade, Zoppi's grandfather pushed her to pursue an education. She attended the University of Puerto Rico, joined the university's ROTC program and began her training in 1985 at the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao campus. Zoppi continued her training in the Río Piedras Campus upon her transfer there.

Zoppi completed a B.A. in Modern Languages from the University of Puerto Rico in 1988, after learning to speak five languages, Spanish, English, Italian, French and German. She was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army.

She earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Johns Hopkins University in 2000. That same year she earned her Ph.D. in Education Policy, Planning, and Administration from the University of Maryland. In 2012, Zoppi earned a Master of Strategic Studies degree from the Army War College and in 2011 the Homeland Security Planners Course at the Joint Forces Staff College. She is the first Puerto Rican woman promoted to the rank of general in the U.S. Army Reserve. In that capacity, she visited Honduras in May to observe reserve medical training there.

Academic career As a civilian Zoppi has taught in the public school system of Maryland and also at various universities. She is a former adjunct professor, College of Notre Dame, and former Research Associate at the Maryland Institute of Minority Achievement and Urban Education, University of Maryland. As a professor in the Business and Education Departments at Strayer University, she was named 2012 Strayer University Faculty of the Year, She has worked as an instructor for the National Intelligence University and director of the university's academic center within the National Security Agency.

She was appointed to the Maryland State Board of Education for a four-year term from 2017 to 2021. In 2020, she was appointed as the first Hispanic trustee of Anne Arundel Community College.

Accolades 2009 – Listed as one of "Maryland's Top 100 Women" by the Daily Record 2015 – Latina of Influence Award by the Hispanic Lifestyle Magazine Kentucky Colonel, Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels.

Personal life In 1988 Zoppi married Thomas Zoppi, a United States Marine Corps veteran, now serves as a Law Enforcement Officer at, County Police. They have three children and two grandchildren.

Military awards and decorations Among Zoppi's military awards and decorations are the following:

Military awards