Star Rivera-Lacey, a joint doctoral program graduate from SDSU and Claremont Graduate University, will help lead the higher education division after a nationwide search. SDCE serves approximately 45,000 students and six campuses.
“I am very excited about my new position,” said Rivera-Lacey. “My doctoral studies have prepared me well for this new opportunity.”
Dr. Rivera-Lacey, who received a master’s in education counseling from SDSU in 1997, has more than 20 years of administrative and leadership experience in student services programs.
Prior to her current position, Rivera-Lacey served as the Dean of Counseling and Student Services at SDCE. Before that, she was Director of Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, CalWORKs, and Outreach at San Diego City College. She was also Director of Student Support Services and Upward Bound at San Diego Miramar College and Associate Professor/Counselor at San Diego Mesa College.
Dr. Rivera-Lacey believes that her research, which focused on the experiences of low-income, first-generation, Latino, community college students has broad implications in promoting student success.
“The extensive leadership and qualifications that Dr. Rivera-Lacey brings to SDCE include developing and implementing innovative programs for diverse traditional, and nontraditional, student populations in both credit and noncredit educational settings,” said Carlos O. Turner Cortez, Ph.D., President of SDCE, when he made the announcement to colleagues. “Dr. Rivera-Lacey’s role will be critical to measuring our success in serving students,” Turner Cortez shared.
Raised in Oceanside, Dr. Rivera-Lacey lives in San Diego with her husband and she enjoys photography. She also has a first-degree black belt in Shorin Ryu karate.