President Finalist Claire Oliveros

Claire Oliveros, Ph.D.

Dr. Claire Oliveros is a social justice educator, scholar, and equity practitioner with over 28 years of professional experience in higher education. She is the inaugural Vice President of Institutional Equity & Research and Planning at Cosumnes River College (CRC), a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and Asian American, Native American-Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) located in Sacramento. Dr. Oliveros manages a multi-million-dollar budget which includes the departments of HSI and AANAPISI federally funded grant programs, Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Research and Planning, Center for Professional Development, Center for Inclusion & Belonging, Hawk Cares Center for Basic Needs and Housing Resources, Student Life & Leadership, and Title IX/Equity compliance. Prior to this role, she served as Vice President of Student Services and Enrollment Management leading the division in the dramatic shift to remote operations and establishing a hybrid and in-person service delivery model.

Before relocating to California, Dr. Oliveros was the Assistant Provost for Student Success Initiatives at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia, and the Executive Dean of Student Development and Learning Resources at Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon. Dr. Oliveros served in various leadership positions at Portland Community College including the Director of TRIO Student Support Services, Interim Director of the District Office of Equity and Inclusion, founding Coordinator of the Multicultural Center, adjunct Women’s Studies Faculty, and as a part-time Academic Advisor. Dr. Oliveros is a contributing author of the essay, Filipinos in Oregon in The SAGE Encyclopedia of Filipina/x/o American Studies. Sage Publications, Inc. Thousand Oaks, CA. November 2022. She co-authored the essay, From the Safe Space of Professionalism to the Brave Space of Community: The About Campus Writers Retreat as Soul Work. About Campus. Volume 25 Issue 1, March 2020.

Dr. Oliveros is a first-generation college graduate earning a Bachelor of Arts in speech communication from Western Oregon University, a Master of Science in Educational Policy, Foundations and Administrative Studies at Portland State University, and a doctorate in education from Oregon State University. She has over 20 years of volunteer experience and community involvement. Dr. Oliveros was founding chair of the Portland Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines and served as a board member of the Multnomah County Commission on Children, Families and Community. Her higher education service includes the AANAPISI Sacramento Regional Cooperative, Community College League of California, and American Association of Community Colleges. Dr. Oliveros received the award for Outstanding Administrator by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Chemeketa Community College, Salem, OR and was honored as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the United States by the Filipina Women’s Network.

Dr. Oliveros is a dedicated educational leader with a deep commitment to equity and service. She enjoys spending time with her partner, Joel, attending their son’s soccer games, listening to podcasts, and exploring new restaurants.