Deputy Chancellor & Provost Finalists

 

Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey

Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey brings more than 25 years of distinguished service and leadership within the California community college system. She currently serves as the Superintendent/President of the Palomar Community College District – one of the largest single-college districts in the state – covering over 2,500 square miles across northern San Diego County. Under her leadership, the institution has achieved significant milestones in fiscal stability, instructional innovation, and infrastructure modernization.

Dr. Rivera-Lacey has championed several strategic initiatives to enhance academic excellence, including expanding course offerings, strengthening guided pathways, and launching workforcealigned programs that meet regional labor market demands. Her administration has supported the development of equitable teaching and learning practices through faculty professional development and data-informed decision-making that prioritize closing achievement gaps.

On the facilities front, she successfully oversaw the implementation and management of capital improvements funded by a voter-approved bond. These efforts led to the construction and modernization of key facilities, ensuring state-of-the-art environments for student learning. Her leadership ensured these projects were completed with fiscal responsibility, transparency, and a focus on sustainability and accessibility.

Dr. Rivera-Lacey also expanded student support services and deepened Palomar College’s institutional commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) – embedding equity-minded practices into the college’s strategic planning, hiring, budgeting, and instructional delivery.

Prior to her presidency, Dr. Rivera-Lacey served as Palomar’s Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Services, where she implemented comprehensive student-centered reforms and increased access to critical resources. Her earlier tenure with the San Diego Community College District spanned multiple institutions and leadership roles, including:

• • • San Diego College of Continuing Education: Student Services, and Vice President of Student
    • Services and Dean of Counseling
    •  San Diego City College: Director of EOPS/CARE/CalWORKs and Outreach
    •  San Diego Miramar College: Director of TRIO Student Support Services
    • San Diego Mesa College: Adjunct Faculty and Tenured Faculty Member

Dr. Rivera-Lacey’s commitment to education extends beyond administrative leadership. Over a 20-year period, she has taught numerous courses at the community college and university levels, and continues to be deeply involved in instruction, curriculum design, and service on doctoral dissertation committees. She is known for her relational approach to leadership and mentoring and for bridging policy with practice to serve students more effectively.

A proud daughter of Salvadoran immigrants, Dr. Rivera-Lacey’s personal journey from a lowincome, first-generation college student to an accomplished leader has fueled her life’s work in advancing educational equity. Her scholarly research centers on access, persistence, and completion among marginalized student populations, particularly students of color, firstgeneration learners, and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Her lived experiences deeply inform her equity-minded leadership and student advocacy.

She began her postsecondary journey at MiraCosta Community College before earning a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from California State University, San Marcos. She went on to earn a master’s degree in Education with an emphasis in Multicultural Competent Counseling from San Diego State University, and later completed her Ph.D. in Education at Claremont Graduate University.

Dr. Rivera-Lacey is widely recognized as a thought leader in higher education. She is a UC Davis Wheelhouse Center for Community College Leadership and Research Fellow, an Aspen Rising Presidential Fellow, a National Community College Hispanic Council Fellow, and currently serves as President-Elect of that organization. She is also completing certification in Neurodiversity, Equity, and Trauma-Informed Approaches from the University of San Diego.

In 2025, she was named “Woman of the Year” by California State Assembly District 76 for her transformative impact on education and community advancement.

Outside of her professional life, Dr. Rivera-Lacey is an avid photographer and runner, and holds a second-degree black belt in Yamashita Shorin Ryu karate – a reflection of her lifelong dedication to discipline, focus, and personal growth.