August 05, 2021
Contact: Melissa Villarin
Office: 916-327-5365
Office E-mail: MVillarin@CCCCO.edu
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program today announced that Vice Chancellor Aisha Lowe and Vice Chancellor Lizette Navarette, two key leaders at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, are amongst 40 leaders selected from across the country for the 2021-22 class of the Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship.
The highly selective leadership program preparing the next generation of community college presidents and leaders to transform institutions to achieve higher and more equitable levels of student success.
Also selected to participate from California were Jessica Robinson, vice president of student services at Cuyamaca College; Mike Muñoz, interim president-superintendent of Long Beach City College; and Tina Maria King, assistant superintendent/vice president for student affairs at Southwestern College.
“It’s an honor to have two of our very best be selected to participate in the Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship program,” said Acting Chancellor Daisy Gonzales. “Both vice chancellors Lowe and Navarette are powerful advocates for transformative change and play an important role in advancing the Vision for Success.”
Chancellor’s Office Aspen Rising Presidents Fellows 2021-2022 - Biographies
Aisha Lowe, Ph.D.
Dr. Aisha Lowe is a passionate educator who has dedicated her life to improving education for all students and communities. As vice chancellor of educational services, Lowe provides leadership for Educational Services division activities including transfer and non-credit curriculum, technology strategic planning, global education, special project management, and system wide technical assistance delivery.
Prior to joining the Chancellor’s Office in 2020, Vice Chancellor Lowe served as associate professor of education at William Jessup University, where she oversaw the thesis research of future teachers in training. She also served as the dean of the office of academic research. Additionally, Lowe served the students of the Los Rios Community College District, Sierra College and CSU Sacramento as an adjunct professor for over eight years. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and her master’s in sociology from Stanford University where she also received her Ph.D. in education.
Lizette Navarette, Ed.D.
Dr. Lizette Navarette oversees the division responsible for formulating policies that determine the distribution of local assistance and capital outlay funds for the state’s 73 community college districts, along with the construction and remodeling of new buildings and centers. Vice Chancellor Navarette is responsible for aligning budget policy with the Vision for Success.
Before joining the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office in February 2020, Vice Chancellor Navarette served as vice president at the Community College League of California. As vice president, she worked closely with elected trustees, chancellors and presidents to support the success of local districts and the students they serve. She first came to the Community College League in 2013 as a legislative advocate.
Vice Chancellor Navarette earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations from UC Riverside – where she also served as student body president. She earned her master’s degree in public administration from the University of La Verne and her doctorate in education from U.C. Davis.
The Rising Presidents Fellows will embark on the 10-month fellowship beginning in November 2021. Delivered in collaboration with the Stanford Educational Leadership Initiative, the fellows will be mentored by esteemed current and former community college presidents. The fellows will learn strategies to improve student outcomes in and after college, lead internal change, and create strong external partnerships with K-12 schools, four-year colleges, employers, and other partners.
While the traditional pathway to the presidency has often excluded women and people of color, the incoming class of Aspen Rising Presidents Fellows is composed of 68 percent women and 70 percent people of color, and represents institutions of varying sizes and locations.
The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; degree and certificate pathways; and basic skills education in English and math. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports the Vision for Success, a strategic plan designed to improve student success outcomes, increase transfer rates and eliminate achievement gaps. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
###
