About the President

Having served in the California State University system for 35 years, I have always been impressed with the potential for Sonoma State University to be a true steward of place, serving to uplift the North Bay region in California. I have worked with many colleagues at the university over the years and have appreciated their dedication to its mission and service to the community.

Clearly, providing stability at the leadership level for the entire university. Having faced adversity in the form of downward enrollment trends and difficult decisions related to structural deficits, my primary goal is to foster a spirit of optimism and enthusiasm for the university and the wider community. Key issues include increasing enrollment, reviewing, supporting, and expanding the university's academic programming, and exploring opportunities to revive athletics as a vital component of campus and community life.

My career has involved providing consistent, engaged, and compassionate leadership at all three of my previous CSUs. This includes a strong commitment to share governance, championing student-centered outcomes as the highest priority, and building and maintaining relationships with the broader community.

My journey has taken me from serving as a middle school teacher, working with students with specific learning disabilities and reading disorders, to providing advisement and support to undergraduate and graduate students who have been identified as having learning challenges, to serving as a professor and teacher-educator for 17 years, to providing leadership as a dean, provost, and interim president across three different CSUs. 

I  have always been attracted to supporting individuals who experience learning challenges – especially when it comes to navigating school structures and systems – and empowering their families to serve as effective advocates when confronted with less than ideal support for their students. My career as a special educator has been fulfilling and is at the core of my broader philosophy and values.

I entered my undergraduate program to pursue a career in medicine. I come from two generations of teachers and physicians in my family who were committed to healing and educating others. As an undergraduate, I eventually chose to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders after becoming fascinated by the fields of speech-language disorders, learning disabilities, and audiology. I then pursued further graduate study in special education and neuropsychology.

I am a firm believer that it is essential to share information in a transparent manner that promotes joint accountability and ultimately empowers stakeholders, both within the university and in the outside community.

Building and supporting academic programs, including the launch of several doctoral programs; serving as the chair of the LA Compact Institutions of Higher Education Collaborative for over a decade, successfully seeking and receiving program and institutional accreditations in the ongoing pursuit of academic excellence; and effective fundraising to build a margin of excellence for the CSU to fulfill and exceed its mission.

I really enjoy attending and participating in community events, exploring everything from new restaurants to theaters to local businesses and shops. I aspire to participate in more outdoor activities, especially having spent the last 16 months in beautiful Humboldt County!