Cathy Sandeen, Ph.D., MBA is an educational leader who is committed to continuing 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s momentum in students’ social mobility, social justice and sustainability. As a two-time alumna of the California State University, she feels fortunate to work in a system that emphasizes access and opportunity.
For more than 60 years, Cal State East Bay has provided access to higher education for a diverse student body and advancing regional engagement through its academic programs and leadership. More than 60 percent of 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s student body are the first in their families to go to college, and the university is recognized nationally for its diversity and impact on social mobility.
Prior to returning to her hometown in the East Bay, Sandeen was chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage from September 2018-December 2020, and chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Colleges and UW-Extension for four years. Previously, as vice president for education attainment and innovation at the American Council on Education, she led ACE's nationwide effort to increase post-secondary educational attainment.
She also held leadership positions in the University of California system including at UCLA, Santa Cruz and San Francisco.
Sandeen earned a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Utah and a Master of Business Administration degree from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. She was named an American Council on Education Fellow in 2010-11.
A prolific writer and speaker, Sandeen has published and presented widely on the issues surrounding educational innovation and nontraditional students.