Katy Ho

About PCC

Board session Q&A

Following the October 15, 2026 board meeting, the Board of Directors was given an opportunity to ask written questions of Dr. Ho.

Question 1: immediate priorities

PCC is in an extraordinary moment with uncertain state funding, growing federal pressure and attacks on public education, and the work of healing after a historic strike. If appointed as our next permanent president, what would your top three priorities be for the next 6 to 12 months? What would the specific outcome look like to know that we are on the right track?

Since stepping into the Acting and then Interim role, I have made clear to my team and through different college-wide messages three general priorities that I feel are key for the next year. The first is to Stabilize for Student Success. This means balancing our current fiscal year budget and then reimaging our structures and essential work in order to best position the College to support student success. This will require bringing to life the new budget development process as established by the Integrated Budget and Planning Council (IBPC) so that we understand how to best make financial decisions to address our structural deficit and maintain our commitment to our mission. The outcome would then be a balanced budget that puts the college on a stable trajectory so that our expenses and revenues begin to trend in such a way that we can eventually pivot to strategic investments for student success and growth. Another critical piece to Stabilizing for Student success is the establishment of student success metrics and institutional targets to help guide our work and hold us accountable. Establishing institutional targets and internal metrics will help us prioritize, make better use of our resources, and focus our work on student success.

The second priority is to Re-Position the College for a Sustained Future. This means a focused, actionable and strategic move must be made by leaders at the College to ensure that PCC has a seat at the table in key external constituencies so that we can better advocate for the support we need and the partnerships that will benefit our students. It means that PCC is top of mind for every elected official, business/industry leader, community partner, and funder. PCC needs to be the driver for state, regional and national work that directly supports our priorities, funding, and core mission. We will know we are making progress when we start to see proactive partnerships expand, PCC awareness increased, and sources of revenue or strategic growth in enrollment as a result of increased partnerships and advocacy.

The third priority is Shared Governance. We must support, embrace and hold ourselves accountable to the emerging shared governance framework in order to repair trust and build transparency. We must adjust our leadership approach in the spirit of shared governance in order to support the culture change our community needs. I have made clear to the Cabinet and President’s Leadership team that we will fully support the implementation of the emerging recommendations and my hope is that we will see progress in the areas of transparency and decision-making clarity as the new shared governance structure takes shape. One outcome of progress in this area will be to move into implementation before the academic year is over.

Question 2: rebuilding trust with labor unions

What specific steps have you already taken, or will you take, to rebuild trust with our labor unions? How will you work with board members who disagree with you or your administration? Where do you see room for compromise, and where would you hold firm?

One of the first actions I took when becoming Acting President was to meet with union leadership. Since then, I have offered ongoing meetings because I believe that making the time and space to regularly meet with union leadership, listen and build relationships is critical. Our college and students depend on us to work together. One of the conditions needed for a thriving institution is having strong relationships with our labor partners. Over the summer and into the fall, one of my key messages has centered on the need for our community to get involved – including in our unions. Setting this expectation was not a position that I was able to be in during the past, where I was often doing my best to present different points of view and impacts within a shifting culture and context. I welcome the opportunity to reset and support our Labor Relations team as we all continue to learn from the events that led up to the strike and take a different approach.

It is my belief that the Board and my relationship with the Board is also part of the culture change needed. I welcome the opportunity and need to hear the different perspectives each Board member has. The same approach and intent I have with our labor partners is what I feel I must cultivate with the Board. The intent and approach mean that we have to be able to talk honestly and listen to each other because we have to extend grace that we are all interested in what is best for our college. If there is disagreement, I hope that we would all strive to remain curious in order to truly understand all points of view and impact. My approach with the Board since stepping into the Acting and Interim position has been to proactively communicate issues, listen carefully to questions, follow up with information and see where we can find a compromise and then explain why we can or can’t. Where to compromise and hold firm is going to be different depending on the situation, but in general we should all understand where our boundaries are in any given situation from the standpoint of compliance, legal, policy, tolerance for risk and anything that undercuts our mission.

Question 3: president selection process

A national search might well have ended with you as the choice anyway. Still, some may reasonably worry that a direct appointment leaves questions about mandate from the college community since you weren’t tested against other candidates. Do you share that concern, and how would you build the legitimacy and trust a competitive search might otherwise have provided?

Ever since my childhood, I understood that my family’s origin story centered on the importance of education. Educational opportunity, access, and value – these lessons were woven into every family story. Education is what got my dad out of a labor camp in communist China. Education was what motivated him to escape when he was placed back in the labor camps for the second time. Education was what led him to the United States where he enrolled in English classes and years later would earn a PhD. Education is what brought my mom and sister from Hong Kong to be reunited with my father. Without the fundamental belief that education is powerful enough to change lives and communities, I wouldn’t be here. I recognize these family values and history are a privilege. This is why I am called to work that deepens my understanding of systems in order to uplift individuals, families, and communities through education.

The over 22 years of community college leadership experience I bring stand on the foundation of the values I forged from my family, the places I grew up and the communities I have worked with. Growing up in Hawai’i, I learned of the Hawaiian proverb A’ohe pau ka ‘ike i ka halau ho’okahi, which translates roughly to the understanding that not all knowledge is taught in one place, that one can learn from many sources. I have come to embrace this meaning as a way to understand that everyone comes with the capacity to receive and offer learning – that our communities are stronger when we work together and create the conditions for continually listening and learning from one another. This is central to my leadership philosophy and approach and the way in which I intend to build legitimacy and trust. I feel that my qualifications, experience, and understanding of not just the institution but the larger dynamics facing higher education meet this moment. I know what it is like to be the internal candidate – that’s been most of my career. I have always tried my best to meet each of those situations by setting the bar higher for myself, by showing up to do the work, by reflecting on lessons learned, and by being true to my own values. My commitment is to the mission of this college, our students and our community.

Question 4: leadership reflection and accountability

Looking back at the major operational and cultural challenges PCC has faced during your leadership tenure, how do you reflect on your own role and key decisions? What specific lessons have you drawn, and how do they inform your approach as permanent president?

Since stepping into the role six months ago I have tried my best to reflect on the ways in which decisions were made and begin to shift ways decisions need to be made – especially in light of the emerging Shared Governance work. I have tried to diffuse some of the decision-making practices and norms that were held with the Office of the President and Cabinet. This has meant refining or further clarifying roles, responsibilities, and scope – some of which may still feel in progress as I am continuing to seek and listen carefully to feedback. One of the major reflection points for me, and that has certainly been at the center of the Shared Governance discussions, is making sure that we are meaningfully bringing in diverse voices sooner and rethinking the avenues in which decisions are made. The key word for me is “meaningfully”. We may think we have brought in diverse voices and created space for engagement – but if the impact leaves those encounters feeling shallow, then we have to be open to adjusting the approach and understanding the gap between intent and impact.

It is my opinion that the trust and transparency repair that our community is seeking will come as all of us lean into the Shared Governance work that is being led by our community. As the Interim President, I have stayed as the Executive Sponsor for the Shared Governance Taskforce. This is a role I have approached with seriousness and a belief that the best thing to do is step back, actively listen, stay open and responsive to the structure and culture the Taskforce is creating. The work that will emerge from the Taskforce must be incorporated into the approach of the permanent president. We are at a critical inflection point – and my commitment as the permanent president is to ensure that our Shared Governance work is upheld with integrity and that I continue to iterate and stay curious to the feedback on how, when, and who is making decisions.

Question 5: labor relations and campus climate

In reflecting on the factors that led to recent impasses and strike actions, what role did you play in navigating those negotiations, and what concrete strategies will you implement to foster proactive, collaborative labor relations across faculty and classified staff unions?

Part of this question is similar to a question raised by Director Troung and in the spirit of consistency I share that here: One of the first actions I took when becoming Acting President was to meet with union leadership. Since then, I have offered ongoing meetings because I believe that making the time and space to regularly meet with union leadership, listen and build relationships is critical. Our college and students depend on us to work together. One of the conditions needed for a thriving institution is having strong relationships with our labor partners. Over the summer and into the fall, one of my key messages has centered on the need for our community to get involved – including in our unions. Setting this expectation was not a position that I was able to be in during the past, where I was often doing my best to present different points of view and impacts within a shifting culture and context. I welcome the opportunity to reset and support our Labor Relations team as we all continue to learn from the events that led up to the strike and take a different approach.

During the specific time period of the strike, one of my responsibilities was to lead and support the operations for the management team. One critical piece that we learned during that time was the need to shift the communication and support to our managers. We have since leveraged the connection points that were started during the strike and through the good work of the team in People Strategy, Equity, and Culture (PSEC) created a new community of practice and more informal touch points for communication. This is critical to labor relations because it also creates a different venue and tone for ensuring that our managers understand labor relations and our contracts in a more holistic way. I have also worked closely with our Cabinet and President’s Leadership Team to reset expectations around how we genuinely and meaningfully engage all our employees around our budget realities.

Question 6: performance metrics and governance

In your previous role, how did you establish measurable benchmarks in your areas of oversight?

There are two examples I will share that I believe illustrate how I have approached this work. The first example is the work that is actively occurring with the People Strategy, Equity, and Culture division (PSEC). Over a year ago, I set expectations with the Associate Vice President of PSEC to create a set of priorities with established process outcomes for improvement. This has led a series of focused process mapping, initial surveying and data-gathering to set benchmarks, and ongoing work to improve service standards. This work has now been co-owned and created by members of the division and has helped leadership to better understand where to focus and improve conditions for the division. This example is just one way in which the Cabinet and President’s Leadership team are creating understanding and transparency around the use of metrics and data. Since the end of Spring Term, I have set the same type of metric work expectation with the President’s Leadership Team and Cabinet which has resulted in clearer articulation of the institutional work that is ahead of us this year.

The second is through the Data Governance Taskforce (login requires your PCC username) – a cross-sectional group of faculty and staff that I facilitated focused on co-creating specific recommendations (shared with the college via email on June 11) to move the college forward into a data governance structure and culture. The specific recommendations include suggested definitions, frameworks, and policy analysis that support the creation the logistical and structural change needed to support the college moving toward a more democratized and accountable use of data and metrics. This includes the establishment of a Data Governance Council (which will be activated within the emerging Shared Governance framework) and the support to move our data infrastructure and access to best support work and decision-making closer to those that need it.

Question 7: executive retention and stability

PCC has experienced notable turnover across cabinet and executive roles in recent years. How do you evaluate the factors driving that attrition, and what is your plan to recruit, develop, and retain a stable, high-performing senior leadership team?

Leadership theories and frameworks often point to certain characteristics of high performing teams such as – Shared Clarity and Purpose, Clear Roles, Trust, Accountability, Collaboration, Strong Communication, and Adaptability. Teams are often put to the test when there are shifts in leadership and culture and one or more of the characteristics begin fray or change. A team can also experience stress when there are high-stakes dynamics facing an organization like budget constraints or challenging federal and state landscape that can feel in opposition to an organization’s mission. Some of these factors may have led to the attrition PCC has experienced.

My goal since becoming Acting and then Interim President has been to provide clearer expectations of the leadership shifts we all must now make – including shifting our perspective about what it means to be a leader on “Team PCC” and not just a leader for any individual division or unit. Some of the characteristics of a high-performing team described earlier serve a backdrop to how we have been reworking meetings to focus on strategy, providing individual coaching support, and creating a team environment that requires pushing and pulling each other in order to surface productive conflict and needed iteration. All of this requires careful feeding of relationships, remaining empathic and curious, setting clear boundaries, and understanding how to leverage the strengths of each individual so that the team can thrive. As the leadership environment stabilizes, this should lead to increased retention and continued leadership development of leaders. As we have opportunities to recruit – either internally or externally – we do so in a way that makes clear what values we want to uphold and expect from leaders. This helps to position the college and future candidates for better alignment. As an example – in the recent recruitment process for a new Chief Financial Officer a clear expectation from the recruitment and interview process was a leader that understands and actively supports shared governance. During my time with candidates, I made clear my expectation that any leader joining Cabinet be in full support of leading in and working collaboratively within a shared governance framework and was able to follow up with questions for candidates and references.

Question 8: cabinet culture and constructive dissent

How do you actively cultivate a leadership culture where cabinet members feel empowered to challenge assumptions, pressure-test strategic decisions, and offer dissenting viewpoints?

One clear way to cultivate this is through making it an expectation. As I transitioned into the Acting and then Interim role, I have made clear from the start that I need to hear every voice, opinion, and thought from the team. During team or individual meetings, I am actively asking and listening for each person’s perspective. There are many times where I will sit back and let a conversation play out first so that my own thoughts don’t influence the room. Another way in which I have tried to encourage this is through empowering the team to have a bent toward action and solutions – it is unsustainable for any one person or position to drive every decision. If there is an appropriate boundary for me to make clear, I do so. Ultimately, creating this culture relies on building and sustaining relationships with the team – this builds trust, strengthens the connective tissue for healthy disagreement, and it builds a cohesive unit focused on our mission and our students. I believe I have leaned in quickly to do this work in a positive way while actively trying to model and support the team.

Question 9: talent strategy and external best practices

In addressing operational areas requiring accelerated improvement, how do you balance internal talent development with recruiting leaders who have proven track records at peer institutions? What is your strategy to attract top-tier talent to high-impact roles?

Building upon the last questions, I will establish clear expectations about work needed, provide the necessary support, and regularly assess the effectiveness of the team. As our culture and teams stabilize, my plan is to work closely with the People Strategy, Equity and Culture (PSEC) team to think systemically about internal talent development so that we have robust systems in place to support development coupled with opportunities for employees to grow. In terms of future recruitment strategies for high-impact roles, my experience in higher education has shown me that schools who are leaders – regionally, nationally, in specific areas – and regularly showcase their work through things like conference presentations, publications, and external communications – build reputations that attract talent and make clearer how to support and grow talent within. Understanding what leader colleges across the country are doing and building relationships with colleagues also strengthens the potential applicant pipeline. PCC does amazing work, and I believe we also have an opportunity to re-position ourselves as leaders in the larger ecosystem of higher education. All of this ultimately benefits our students and employees.

Question 10: statewide advocacy and fiscal credibility

How do you plan to strengthen PCC’s relationship and credibility with the Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC) and state legislators, and how will you articulate our fiscal strategy and funding needs to state stakeholders?

One of my priorities since the Spring has been to re-position the college for a sustained future. This has meant reaching out to and meeting with elected officials, leaders in the HECC, the OCCA, and key external partners. My message has been clear – we know we have work to do internally to repair trust and be good stewards of public funds and we will fight to keep and grow every dollar because our work is critical to the overall economic health of the region. PCC recently hosted the Legislative Fiscal Office and this was an opportunity for me to hit some very important points such as – PCC’s regional economic impact of about $2.7 billion annually, the fact that PCC’s activities and alumni support 1 out of every 58 jobs in the region, and that we estimate $1.90 in cumulative value returned for every dollar of public money invested. I also stressed what it would take to maintain the specialized programs and trainings that our region needs. We need our state to be a partner with us while we also show we are responsible and responsive to the context we are in. My plan is to continue to carry this message and advocate hard through the legislative session. I also feel it is vitally important to continue to look ahead and build a team strategy to advocacy which includes bringing in other members of Cabinet, members of the Board, faculty and staff, etc. to build a strong network of supporters who can also help carry these messages forward. I have worked with my team to ensure there are regular points of engagement between myself and key leaders at the HECC and with elected officials. I have also made it my expectation that leaders within other state groups – Council of Instructional Administrators, Council of Student Services Administrators, and Business Officers – rebuild relationships and strengthen connection points where needed.

Question 11: inter-institutional collaboration

What specific areas within our partnership with Portland State University—such as shared administrative services, transfer pathways, or regional initiatives—offer the highest-impact opportunities for operational efficiency, and how will you lead that collaboration?

The MOU signed by PSU and PCC in 2025 helped to establish some clearer work around curriculum alignment, advising, student support services, and data sharing all in service to improving the transfer experience for our students. Building upon that work, I have already been in continued conversations with President Cudd about how we can best leverage each of our strengths and continue to find ways to collaborate. To be clear, we have many points of collaborative and shared work already happening between the two institutions. In order to best understand where we may have the highest-impact opportunities, we have to gain a shared understanding of each other’s infrastructure, policies, governance, and strengths beyond the surface level. I have been and intend to continue to collaboratively participate in and lead these ongoing conversations with my PSU colleagues and ensure that we are balancing our unique missions. We are currently discussing what specific high-impact opportunities may be viable and I hope to be able to update the Board and our community toward the end of fall term on what ideas may be emerging.

Bio and CV: Katy W. Ho, PhD

Dr. Katy Ho (she/her) serves as Interim President for Portland Community College (PCC), Oregon’s largest post-secondary institution, serving more than 50,000 students across four comprehensive campuses and ten centers. PCC offers more than 90 educational programs in career technical fields and university transfer disciplines. Prior to serving as Acting President, Katy was PCC’s Executive Vice President, providing strategic leadership for Operations, Strategic Planning & Policy, Information Technology, Brand Management, and People Strategy. She previously served as PCC’s Vice President for Academic Affairs and held leadership roles at Honolulu Community College in academic and student affairs, including Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Katy served on the Board of Trustees for Portland State University and was selected as an Aspen Presidential Fellow in 2017–2018, a leadership program focused on cultivating transformational leaders in higher education. She holds a doctorate in Community College Leadership and a master’s degree in Student Services Administration from Oregon State University, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communications.

Executive summary

A highly strategic, collaborative, and student-centered executive leader with over 22 years of progressive experience in community college leadership. Values-driven, and committed to advancing equitable student success and outcomes. A proven track record of fostering inclusive communities to effectively propel a holistic institutional vision and mission through cultural and place-based practices. Avid reader, runner, ocean lover, and proud mother of two.

Education

Ph.D. in Community College Leadership, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
Ed.M in College Student Services Administration, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
B.S. in Public Relations, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon

Leadership experience

Executive Vice President, Portland Community College

Portland, OR | 2024 – Present

Provides comprehensive executive leadership for an institution serving 50,000 plus students across ten campuses and centers with an overall institutional budget of approximately $612,928,477.
Lead and championed equitable student success initiatives that lead to an 6.5% increase of fall to fall retention over five years.
Lead a shared governance taskforce changed with creating a comprehensive data governance strategy and serves as Executive Sponsor for system-wide ERP migration.
Partners with college leaders to support growth and strategic initiatives focused on student success and mission fulfillment.
Provides overall strategic leadership in College Operations, Information Technology, People Strategy, Equity & Culture, Brand Management, Institutional Effectiveness, Policy, and Strategic Planning.
Supervises, provides oversight, and leads enterprise-level work in strategic partnerships, risk management & preparedness, legal issues, shared governance, communications, compliance, and crisis management.
Supports engagement with the Board of Directors and Board Strategic Priorities in coordination with the Office of the President.
Collaborates with the Chief Financial Officer to develop and implement a comprehensive and integrated financial sustainability strategy.
Co-lead work to reimagine the College’s commitment and action to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Vice President for Academic Affairs, Portland Community College

Portland, OR | 2017 – 2024

Served as Chief Academic Officer over credit, academic non-credit, workforce training, and community education programs.
Served as Accreditation Liaison Officer for the college successfully completing a full cycle of accreditation with Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
Provided overall strategic leadership educational program development and implementation, curriculum planning and development including online learning and instruction for a multi-campus district.
Supervised, provided oversight, and led Associate Vice President and Deans in Workforce Development and Continuing Education, Teaching and Learning, Curriculum Support, Education Abroad, Dual Credit, Online Learning, Library Services, Instructional Support, Academic Operations, Institutional Effectiveness & Planning and Community-Based Learning.
Led and coordinated college-wide efforts in equitable student success and work with Achieving the Dream.
Developed and maintained collaborative partnerships with secondary, post-secondary and business and industry partners to ensure high quality pathways, programs, and opportunities. Increased dual-credit enrollment and data-sharing agreements with K-12 partners.
Accountable for academic strategic planning, budgeting, and continuous improvement; led and supported grant development, reporting and strategic implementation. Served as project lead for Title III grant which led to an increase of on-ramp (IET) certificates and embedded labor market information to drive curriculum assessment and development.
Served as an executive member of the President’s Cabinet and supports key relationship cultivation and sustainability with non-profits, community-based organizations, business and industry partners, and elected officials.
Implemented a comprehensive restructuring of academic and student affairs across the institution.

Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Honolulu Community College

Honolulu, HI | 2014 – 2017

Served as Chief Academic Officer over academic and workforce programs.
Served as Accreditation Liaison Officer for the college, working closely with the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior College (ACCJC).
Supervised Deans & Directors to lead efforts across seven divisions, including Transportation & Trades, University College, and Student Services.
Managed general-fund and grant budgets; participated in and coordinated program review process, including creating and assessing Student Learning Outcomes and Service Area Outcomes.
Coordinated strategic planning for academic areas focused on student success and completion initiatives such as: implementation of student success pathway framework, use of predictive analytics, and developmental education redesign.
Led comprehensive reform in developmental education math resulting in the implementation of co-requisite courses and accelerated pathways. Partnered with other academic leaders within the University of Hawai’i Community College System to scale reform efforts which resulted in doubling completion rates (14% to 32%) across the entire system within the first two years.
Served as Co-Principle Investigator and Project Director for grant programs totaling over $6 million dollars including grants from: National Science Foundation, Department of Education (Title III), and AtD/Gates Foundation.

Dean of Students, Honolulu Community College

Honolulu, HI | 2012 – 2014

Served as Chief Student Affairs Officer for the college.
Supervised and led efforts in the following areas: Admissions, Student Records, Academic Counseling, Mental Health & Wellness, Career & Employment, Financial Aid, Student Life & Development, Outreach & Orientation.
Managed general-fund and grant budgets for direct report areas as well as revenue generating accounts.
Led and participated in updating the process for departmental program reviews for student services including creating and assessing Student Learning Outcomes and Services Area Outcomes.
Led efforts and served as the designated official in: Title IX Compliance, Student Conduct, Behavioral Intervention Team, FERPA, and Student Rights & Responsibilities.
Led and coordinated strategic planning for student and enrollment service areas at the campus and system level.
Led comprehensive academic planning reform at the college and system level which resulted in system wide adoption of proactive academic planning technology and strategic course scheduling.

Division Dean for Student Support Services, Portland Community College

Portland, OR | 2010 – 2012

Supervised and led efforts in the following instructional and student services areas: Developmental Education (Reading, Writing and Math), Adult Basic Education, Student Success Center, Disability Services, Counseling, Cooperative Education & Student Employment, Career Resource Center.
Managed general-fund budgets for direct report areas as well as revenue generating accounts.
Managed and evaluated full-time and part-time faculty, classified and academic professional staff.
Participated and led departmental program reviews for student services and instructional areas.
Provided instructional leadership around course offerings and management.
Assisted in strategic planning for student and enrollment services areas at the campus and district level.
Assisted with student conduct hearings and case management with students of concern.
Led and/or participated in district and campus-wide committees such as: Standards of Academic Progress Workgroup, Sylvania Behavioral Intervention Team, Sylvania Diversity Council, Career Pathways Steering Committee, Bond Planning Executive Committee, Basic Skills Council, Division Deans Council, PCC Reads, Information Security Council, College Guidance and Success Department Academic Liaison, and PCC K-12 Relations Taskforce.

Associate Dean for Student Development, Portland Community College

Portland, OR | 2006 – 2010

Supervised and led efforts in the following areas: Outreach & Orientation, Testing, Health Admissions, Academic Advising, Information Services, Retention Specialist, Adult High School Completion, and Student Employment and Cooperative Education.
Managed general-fund budgets for direct report areas as well as revenue generating accounts.
Managed and evaluated full-time and part-time classified and academic professional staff.
Managed and supported the Emergency Loan application process.
Participated and led departmental program reviews for student services areas.
Assisted in strategic planning for student and enrollment services areas at the campus and district level.
Led and/or participated in district and campus-wide committees such as: Faculty Block-Hire LEAN Process, Standards of Academic Progress Workgroup, Sylvania Smoking Policy Taskforce, Sylvania Behavioral Intervention Team, Sylvania Diversity Council, AdvisorTrac Committee, Career Pathways Steering Committee, Prerequisite Implementation Team, Enrollment Management Committee, Sylvania Inservice Programming Committee, DegreeWorks Implementation Team, Illumination Project Ford Steering Committee, Sylvania Diversity Fund Committee, Bond Planning Committee, First-Year Experience and Portal Steering Committee.

Retention Coordinator, Portland Community College

Portland, OR | 2004 – 2006

Assist in developing & implementing new programs such as: Virtual Advisor (Panther Tracks) – an online advising program, Early Warning System – a system that supports faculty in intervening with students who are struggling in class, My First Term Experience (Panther Tracks) – an expanded online orientation tool, My Academic Plan – an online planning tool for students to develop degree plans and Classroom Retention Techniques – vehicles for faculty to integrate retention strategies into instructional delivery methods by using a retention handbook.
Design and conduct MyPCC workshops for faculty, staff and students.
Serve on committees related to increasing student retention.
Co-Chair of Student Portal Committee and member of the Portal Coordinating Committee for MyPCC online student portal.
Educational Advisory Committee (EAC) Member – member of a district wide committee of faculty, administrators and staff that reviews and recommends policies around curriculum, instruction and student development.
Work with faculty & staff in identifying academically at-risk students.
Assist in developing district-wide improvement plans to increase student retention and success.
Create and maintain student service related websites.
Work closely with Banner Information System and information technology staff to implement grant projects.

Academic Advisor, Portland Community College

Portland, OR | 2002 – 2004

Assist students with one-on-one academic planning and goals.
Present orientation and advising sessions to new and returning students.
Advise students in regards to transfer articulation and regulations.
Develop academic plans for students on academic alert, probation, & suspension.
Create and maintain transfer requirement worksheets for the Transfer Center.
Coordinate & develop advising & transfer workshops for students.
Assist in implementation of campus wide advising assessment.

Assistant Director of Student Activities & Multicultural Affairs, University of Portland

Portland, OR | 2002 – 2004

Create and implement programs and services aimed to provide support and retention services to students of color.
Initiate & implement multicultural educational & social programs.
Manage budget for the Multicultural Affairs Center.
Create & implement diversity education workshops & trainings for students, faculty and staff.
Coordinate New Student Orientation and Transfer Orientation planning, staff selection, training, and execution.
Hire, train, and supervise student staff.
Co-develop and facilitate the Undergraduate Leadership Conference.
Serve as staff advisor for various student projects and committees including: Student Government Elections Committee, student Book Exchange, Junior Parents and Families Weekend Committee, Diversity Committee, and Black Student Union.
Member of Campus Pipeline Implementation Team – a campus wide committee comprised of faculty, students, staff and administrators charged with implementing the Pipeline portal system.

Board, community service, fellowship

Trustee, Portland State University, Board of Trustees | 2021 – 2026
- Portland State University is Oregon’s public research university, serving over 19,000 students. PSU also holds the distinction of being Oregon’s most diverse university and also
Board Member, HERDI Innovate Board | 2020 – Present
- HERDI Innovate is an opportunity for educational technology companies that support student success at community colleges to work with college leaders in order to receive input and advice around the implementation and use of technology.
Volunteer, Reason to Run | 2022 – 2026
- Reason to Run is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering a culture of hope, connection and community for women in correctional facilities. This is accomplished through a multifaceted training program that supports and motivates both new and experienced runners.
Board Member, Partners in Diversity Leadership Council | 2022 – 2026
- Partners in Diversity monitors relationships between the community and the economy, participating in regular evidence-based research on employment demographics in the Oregon and southwest Washington region. PiD works with employers to apply solutions and strategies in addition to providing education and networking opportunities all centered on recruiting and maintaining a diverse workforce.
Fellow, Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence | 2017 – 2018
- Drawing on the exemplary work of excellent community colleges, the Aspen Institute engages a select group of fellows each year in this intensive, applied leadership executive program, delivered in collaboration with the Stanford Educational Leadership Initiative. The Aspen Presidential Fellowship centers on three broad themes: Leading for Impact, Leading Transformational Change, and Partnering for Collective Action.

Grants

Pre-Engineering Education Collaborative Phase II

Successfully awarded as a collaboration grant from the National Science Foundation’s Tribal Colleges and Universities Program to campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges.
Project Period: 2016 – 2019.
Total amount to Honolulu Community College: $494,994.
Role: Co-Principal Investigator.
Objective: to increase students entering the engineering concentration under the Associate of Science in Natural Sciences degree program and provide vertically integrated programs with the state’s four-year institution that incorporates undergraduate research projects.

Collaborative Research – PAGE: Halau Ola Honua – Our living world, living laboratory

Successfully awarded as a collaboration grant from the National Science Foundation to campuses of the University of Hawaiʻi Community Colleges.
Project Period: 2016 – 2021.
Total amount to Honolulu Community College: $823,897.
Role: Co-Principal Investigator.
Objective: to create an environmental science concentration under the Associate of Science in Natural Sciences degree program that incorporates undergraduate research opportunities and summer bridge programs.

Hoʻala hou – Renewing a Pathway to Student Success Through Culture-Based Learning

Successfully awarded to Honolulu Community College through Department of Education Title III funds for Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions. Project Period: 2015 – 2020.
Total amount: $2,174,200.
Roles: Application author and Principal Investigator.
Objective: to establish a culturally relevant pathway to the college for Native Hawaiian students with the ultimate goals of increasing enrollment and completion and to create a cultural and place-based learning program for faculty, staff, and administrators aimed at infusing Hawaiian culture, traditions, and values in teaching, learning and service to support student success.

ATD – Integrated Planning and Advising for Student Success (iPASS)

Successfully awarded to University of Hawaiʻi System and Honolulu Community College through Achieving the Dream in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Educause, and the Helmsley Trust.
Project Period: 2015 – 2018.
Total amount: $225,000.
Roles: Co-Principal Investigator and Project Director.
Objective: implement the use of predictive analytics (PAR) and technology solutions (Starfish and STAR) to implement changes in academic advising and faculty involvement in early outreach to at-risk students with specific emphasis on STEM students and Native Hawaiians.

Re-Imagining Native Hawaiian Student Services: A renovation project to bring our Native Hawaiian Center to the heart of campus through collaboration and co-location with key student services.

Successfully awarded to Honolulu Community College through Department of Education Title III funds for Alaskan Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions.
Project Period: 2004 – 2016.
Total amount: $2,000,000
Roles: Application author, Principal Investigator and Project Director.
Objective: renovation of one wing of an existing building to accommodate Native Hawaiian Center and the Academic Counseling and Financial Aid Departments with an emphasis to support more collaboration around student support services.