2026 Commencement Speakers 

2026 Commencement Speaker

Angela J. Lederach (she/her/hers) is Assistant Professor of Peace and Justice Studies at Chapman University. As a scholar-practitioner, she has engaged in over a decade of participatory research with grassroots peacebuilders in Colombia as they work to transform violent conflict, deepen possibilities for environmental justice, and cultivate a more just and livable world. Her research focuses on community-based responses to transforming the interlocking dynamics of political and environmental violence. She is the author of the award-winning book, Feel the Grass Grow: Ecologies of Slow Peace in Colombia (Stanford University Press 2023). Alongside her father John Paul, she also co-authored the book When Blood and Bones Cry Out: Journeys Through the Soundscape of Healing and Reconciliation (Oxford University Press). With a dual PhD in cultural anthropology and peace studies from the University of Notre Dame, Lederach has accompanied peacebuilding, environmental, and restorative justice initiatives in Sierra Leone, Philippines, Colombia, Bolivia, and the United States. 

2026 EMU at Lancaster Commencement

Jaime Arroyo serves as the 44th Mayor of the City of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Prior to his election as Mayor, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of ASSETS, a local nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution that helps women and BIPOC entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses by providing equitable access to training and capital. He also represented the residents of Lancaster City for six years on City Council, including two years as Vice President. Mayor Arroyo is the first Latino mayor in Lancaster City history, a milestone for a city where over 40% of the population identifies as Hispanic.

During his tenure on City Council, Mayor Arroyo helped lead the City of Lancaster through a pivotal period marked by a global pandemic, local calls for racial equity, and a once-in-a-generation investment in the community made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act. His work as a councilor included developing the COVID-19 Small Business Relief Fund, advancing critical updates to housing laws related to lead poisoning prevention and rental property standards, and directing the allocation of $15 million in ARPA funds to support affordable housing ($10 million) and community facilities ($5 million).

Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, Mayor Arroyo moved with his family to Lancaster City’s southeast neighborhood when he was a toddler, as his parents sought greater economic opportunity. A proud graduate of J.P. McCaskey High School, he went on to become the first person in his family to earn a college degree.

Mayor Arroyo lives in northeast Lancaster City with his wife, Linette, and their young son, Miles.