Kristan Venegas, PhD is the LaFetra Endowed Professor of Excellence in Teaching and Learning and an Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs in the LaFetra College of Education at the University of La Verne. She has over 15 years of experience in managing faculty, staff, and students and has served as a department chair at the University of Nevada, Reno and as program director, program lead, and assistant dean at the University of Southern California (USC). She was an American Council on Education Fellow and completed her fellowship at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While at USC, she served as the chair of her faculty council and on several subcommittees for the university-wide academic senate. She is a research associate for the USC Pullias Center for Higher Education and teaching associate for the Center for Learning Innovation at the University of La Verne. She recently completed Hispañas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) Leadership Institute and serves as the Board President for the El Monte Promise Foundation. Her research focuses on college access and financial aid. She earned her BA, MS.Ed, and Phd from USC.