Jasmine Ruys fell in love with education while studying for her Bachelor of Arts degree in History at California Lutheran University. Her passion for higher education led her to complete her Master’s degree in Educational Counseling and her Doctorate in Organizational Leadership, from the University of La Verne. Dr. Ruys has been with College of the Canyons since 2001. Dr. Ruys has held many positions with the College, starting in a classified role as the Student Services Specialist in the Student Development office, Administrative Assistant in the Admissions and Records office, Director of Admissions and Records, Dean of Enrollment Services, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Services, and as of January 2021, the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Services. Dr. Ruys has a strong background in enrollment services, leading the effort to bring student services fully online during the pandemic, opening the Multicultural Center, ensuring student services is responsive to statewide mandates and the new framework of guided pathways. Dr. Ruys believes it is the responsibility of the Vice President of Student Services to eliminate barriers and implement equity-minded leadership for the College. Jasmine raises her two children in Santa Clarita with her husband Steve Ruys, the athletic director and faculty member in Kinesiology at Los Angeles Mission College. Together, they are the proud parents of two beautiful children, Sophia and Zero. Their faithful canine companions, Roxy, Timber, and Scooby, round out the happy family.

Dr. Avila became the 8th President of the Gavilan Joint Community College District on July 12, 2022. He has over 20 years of experience leading successful community college initiatives to increase college-going rates for underrepresented student populations. Before joining Gavilan College, President Avila served as the Vice President of Student Services/Assistant Superintendent at Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC). His administrative experience includes serving as Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management, Admissions & Records, and Information Systems at State Center Community College District. At West Hills Community College District, he served as Vice President of Student Services and Vice Chancellor of Institutional Effectiveness & Enrollment Management. Dr. Avila was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, and spent his childhood there. In 1984, his family emigrated to the United States to find better opportunities. Like many migrant families, they worked as farmworkers and experienced the hardships of poverty and housing insecurity. Dr. Avila’s work is grounded in his experiences as an immigrant, English-language learner, and first-generation college student. His childhood experiences with poverty and housing insecurity shape his strong statewide advocacy for affordable student housing. At Santa Rosa Junior College, he led the construction of an on-campus affordable student housing facility for 352 students. President Avila holds degrees in Latino Studies and Business from Fresno State University, a Master’s in Business Administration from Rockhurst University, and a Doctorate in Community College Policy from the University of Maryland. He also earned a Certificate in Institutional Performance Assessment from Harvard’s Higher Education Institute.

Sonya Christian, PhD, is a fierce advocate for the life-changing ability of community colleges to reach underserved populations and educate the future workforce. She is committed to advancing work through distributed leadership and collaborative communities of learning, and to promoting the value of equity in student learning, access, success and economic mobility.

Natalie Wagner is a Community College Fiscal Specialist within the Fiscal Standards and Accountability Unit at the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. Her primary areas of responsibility include attendance accounting, conditions for claiming apportionment, student residency classification, and academic calendars. She joined the Chancellor’s Office in 2013 and has worked in various roles over the last 10 years. Natalie started as an analyst assisting the Vice Chancellor in the Annual State Budget Development process before transitioning into Attendance Accounting and Residency as a Specialist. From 2020 to 2022, she worked as the Director of Fiscal Standards and Accountability and transitioned back into the specialist role in 2023.

Rafael Artiga Meza serves as a Specialist within the Fiscal Standards and Accountability Unit in the College Finance and Facilities Planning (CFFP) Division at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. He joined the Chancellor’s Office in August 2019. Throughout his time at the Chancellor’s Office, he has worked on various areas including attendance accounting, residency, student fees, maintenance allowance, the classified summer assistance program, and part-time faculty compensation. Rafael holds a Master of Public Administrator (MPA) from National University and a Bachelor of Political Science from University of California, Irvine (UCI). He is currently working on his doctoral degree in Educational Leadership at Keiser University. Before joining the Chancellor’s Office, he spent nearly 2 years at the Department of Rehabilitation assisting students with disabilities with student services programs.

For the past two years, Erica has had the good fortune to support the Chancellor’s Office and the California Community Colleges to create a ‘welcoming front door’ for all students through the Reimagine Apply new student application effort. As a coach/consultant, Erica has supported leaders and teams in strategy, program design, organizational development, and agile implementation. Prior to her work at Accenture, she worked within the City of Oakland government as Mayor Jerry Brown’s Press Secretary and then as the City Attorney’s Communications Director. Her early consulting work supported non-profits such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Kalliopeia Foundation and the Center for Council with their transformative work in prisons. Erica has a dedicated mindfulness and somatic practice which fundamentally informs her insights for her work and the complexity of our human condition.

Samuel Lee leads statewide efforts to support Credit for Prior Learning as a key strategic focus of the Chancellor’s Office Vision 2030. Lee formerly served as Norco College Vice President of Academic Affairs, where he led the development of the MAP Initiative since its inception in 2017. With more than 30 years of higher education teaching and administrative experience, Dr. Lee is an innovator and leader focused on developing scalable solutions that promote access, completion, transfer, and career attainment. His focused leadership on this project ensures that California Community Colleges have the support and training needed to develop new practices, articulate courses at scale, align academic and professional (industry) competencies, and bring our colleges to our communities through offers of credit for prior learning for working adults, apprentices, and veterans statewide.

Started position in August 2019. In the San Mateo County Community College District since 2016. Started as an Admissions and Records Assistant III My hobbies are Mountain Biking, surfing, fishing, camping and scrolling craigslist and marketplace for deals.

Imran Majid is currently the Director of Fiscal Advocacy for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. In his role, he advocates for legislation and state budget investments that will enable the nation’s largest system of higher education to reach its ambitious goals to equitably serve and reach more students from underserved backgrounds. He has successfully worked with the Legislature and Governor’s Administration to secure passage of policies that make it easier for undocumented students to become exempt from nonresident tuition, increase student access to gateway community college courses, and allow for equitable admissions policies in allied health fields. He is a proud former community college transfer student and credits his interest in higher education policy from his time serving as editor-in-chief for his student newspaper, where he covered stories on the devastating budget impacts of the Great Recession on student access and success. Prior to joining the Chancellor’s Office, Imran served as a Research Analyst for the Little Hoover Commission, where he helped develop recommendations on how to make California state government more efficient. He holds a Master of Public Policy and Administration degree and Bachelor of Arts degree in Government Journalism, both from California State University, Sacramento.

Lillian Justice is currently serving as Registrar at El Camino College. She has over 30 years of experience working in the California Community College System. She started as a student worker in A&R at Barstow Community College becoming a permanent employee in 1998. Lillian remained at BCC for 10 years. In 2008 she became an Associate Registrar at Long Beach City College working her way up to Director of Enrollment Services. Lillian joined the El Camino College team in 2018 as the Registrar. I became a member of CACCRAO in 2008 and I have been a member of the E-Board 8 years. Being part of the CACCRAO Board has allowed me to serve on many statewide communities and to be one of the advocates for A&R. I believe A&R is the Heart of the College and our voices and perspectives needs to be heard and considered. It is an honor to work and serve the California Community College A&R professionals.

Michelle Smith is currently the Assistant Vice Chancellor at the Chancellor's Office. Previously Michelle was the Executive Director of Enrollment Systems & Integrated Support at Bakersfield College overseeing Admissions & Records, the Re-engagement Center, Testing Center, student system integrations, and eligibility for athletics, international, and veteran students. Michelle has been in a higher education leadership role for over 25 years under Student Affairs. She has her master’s degree in organizational leadership from CSU Bakersfield. She is the current President of the California Association of Community College Registrars and Admissions Officers (CACCRAO).

Victor DeVore is the Dean of Student Services at San Diego Community College District. He has over 14 years of experience in higher education and started his career in higher education as the Supervisor of Admissions and Records at Cuyamaca College. He is a first-generation college student who understands the challenges that many students face when pursuing higher education. Victor earned his Bachelor's degree in Management from the University of California, San Diego, and his Master's degree in Organizational Leadership from National University. As the Dean of Student Services, he supports and coordinates districtwide efforts in a wide range of programs and services, including admissions, counseling, financial aid, student records, and more.

Dr. Shelly L. Hess is a highly respected educational leader with over 26 years of experience in California’s community college system. She earned her Ed.D. from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and has since dedicated her career to advancing equity, access, and academic excellence across higher education. As the Dean of Instructional Services for the San Diego Community College District, Dr. Hess provides strategic oversight in curriculum development, instructional services, articulation, and student evaluations. She plays a pivotal role in the implementation of Common Course Numbering, working to ensure smooth integration not only into academic programs but also into student-facing systems and evaluation processes to support a seamless student experience. Dr. Hess has also contributed significantly at the state level, serving as a member of both the Common Course Numbering Development Workgroup and the Common Course Numbering Technology Workgroup. Her leadership continues to drive innovation and collaboration across institutions to better serve California’s diverse student population.

Wil Wu is the award winning Associate Registrar at City College of San Francisco. With over 30 years of experience in the field of education, he is dedicated to supporting students through comprehensive student services. His journey began humbly as a student worker at CCSF, where he developed a deep appreciation for the transformative power of education and the importance of student-centered support. He has remained steadfast in his commitment to ensuring that every student has access to education without barriers. He believes that education is a fundamental right that has the power to transform lives and communities. By fostering a culture of inclusivity, equity, and accessibility, we can break down barriers and create opportunities for all students to thrive. Today, he is still guided by these principles and the paramount importance of being people-oriented. Building genuine connections with students, faculty, and staff is at the heart of effective support services.

Rena Martinez Stluka is the Director of Admissions and Records at Fullerton College. She has been with Fullerton College in various roles for 25+ years all in the Admissions and Records Office. Rena is a proud alum of Fullerton College and is dedicated to equity, access, and success of community college students. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a master’s degree in Management/Organizational Leadership. She loves CACCRAO and has served on the E-Board as Region 7 & 8 rep and currently as the E-Board Executive Assistant.

My name is Arianna Kennedy and I am your Region 5 & 6 Representative. I am the director of A&R at College of the Sequoias and have had that amazing opportunity for almost 3 years. I have been a part of A&R for 8 years coming into my 9th year. I am so thankful to be able to grow, change and evolve into not only a better person/leader but an advocate of all things Admissions & Records. Fun Facts: I am a animal LOVER, travel enthusiast and a nap queen. If you ever have questions or need someone to bounce ideas off of please reach out to me. I love to make new allies and friends in A&R.

Ashley Dunn is the Registrar at Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC). She believes education is a right. That’s why she’s worked in higher education for more than 20 years. Ashley understands the value of education for students and their families because she was raised by a single mother who went back to school to reenter the workforce after her divorce. Ashley serves as the CACCRAO E-Board Representative for Regions 7 and 8.

April Dale is the Interim Associate Dean of Outreach, Recruitment & Educational Partnerships and Director of Admissions and Records for San Bernardino Valley College. She brings almost 25 years of experience in education having served in various roles throughout her career. She has worked in Private higher education for several years, prior to moving to the public sector; working at California State University Long Beach, as a Transfer Admissions Evaluator and California State Polytechnic University Pomona as a Degree Audit Analyst before working at San Bernardino Valley College. She understands the need to be a student center thinker, and the importance of having compassion in your work and maintaining genuine connections with those in which she interacts with. Her goal is to seek improvement for the students and campus community and be an example for those that come behind her.

Veronica Fisher is District Enrollment Management Manager for State Center Community College District (SCCCD). She has been with SCCCD for over 19 years serving in various capacities including experience on college campuses and at the district level serving the following roles: Evaluator Specialist, Admissions & Records Specialist, Veterans Administration Certifying Official, International Students PDSO. She also has 10 years of experience in K-12 education as registrar, prior to joining SCCCD. She is a solution focused individual with a comprehensive background in education. Of equal importance she has an exceptional ability to relate well with people from the diverse communities of students and staff she serves. She fosters a love for helping others succeed and achieve their educational goals as well as career goals. She understands the needs and challenges of both the students and staff, which helps her to adeptly bridge gaps in services with compassion.

Larry K. Aycock is the Director of Admissions & Records at Crafton Hills College, with over 26 years of dedicated service in the Admissions & Records department. Beginning his journey as a student worker, he has ascended through various roles, culminating in his current position as Director. He is deeply committed to a student-centered approach, focusing on enhancing processes to streamline student experiences, dismantle barriers, and foster an improved campus community. His extensive tenure reflects not only his expertise in the field but also his unwavering commitment to educational excellence and community betterment.

Steve Erwin came to College of the Canyons as an Admissions & Records Student Services Technician for transcript evaluations. Steve has earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music from Washington State University, a Master’s degree in Leadership & Policy Studies from the University of Memphis, and a Master’s degree in Educational Counseling from the University of La Verne.

During his years of service at College of the Canyons, Steve has served as Assistant Director, Director and is currently the Associate Dean of Admissions, Records, and Online Services. Steve is a member of the California Association of Community College Registrars and Admissions Officers where he has served on the Executive Board as a Regional Representative, Vice President, President, Past President and now is the Hotel Liaison for contracts and conference preparation.

Steve is an international man of mystery and holds the moniker, Agent Provocateur. From his exploits playing blackjack in Las Vegas, and travel as a musician in the Navy Band, to his fishing trips in Los Cabos, Steve has a way of finding adventure, and even intrigue. Ask Steve how his day is and he may tell you it’s the best day of his life – and it may just be. Interacting with Steve is an experience. Are you up for the challenge?