Opportunity Task Force: Conversation with President Sandeen and Chancellor Reece

Join us for a conversation on the future of higher education with two of the top education leaders in the East Bay, President Sandeen and Chancellor Reece. We will learn what both CSU East Bay and the Contra Costa Community College District are doing to help meet the workforce needs of a changing economy, hear more about their plans to safely and effectively educate students in 2021, their vision for the future of their institutions, and have a chance to ask your questions.

Meet the speakers


President Cathy Sandeen | CSU East Bay
Cathy Sandeen, Ph.D., MBA is an educational leader who is committed to continuing Cal State East Bay's momentum in students' social mobility, social justice and sustainability. As a two-time alumna of the California State University, she feels fortunate to work in a system that emphasizes access and opportunity.

For more than 60 years, Cal State East Bay has provided access to higher education for a diverse student body and advancing regional engagement through its academic programs and leadership. More than 60 percent of Cal State East Bay's student body are the first in their families to go to college, and the university is recognized nationally for its diversity and impact on social mobility.

Prior to returning to her hometown in the East Bay, Sandeen was chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage from September 2018-December 2020, and chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Colleges and UW-Extension for four years. Previously, as vice president for education attainment and innovation at the American Council on Education, she led ACE's nationwide effort to increase post-secondary educational attainment.

She also held leadership positions in the University of California system including at UCLA, Santa Cruz and San Francisco. Sandeen earned a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Utah and a Master of Business Administration degree from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. She was named an American Council on Education Fellow in 2010-11.

A prolific writer and speaker, Sandeen has published and presented widely on the issues surrounding educational innovation and nontraditional students.

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Chancellor Bryan Reece | Contra Costa Community College District
Dr. Bryan Reece was named Chancellor of the Contra Costa Community College District in December 2020. The District serves over 51,000 students at three colleges (Contra Costa College, Diablo Valley College and Los Medanos College) and two centers (Brentwood and San Ramon). The District is one of the largest multi-college community college districts in California, where more than 3,600 employees serve a county of over one million residents.

Dr. Reece has been working in higher education for over 30 years, with 15 years of academic and private sector leadership experience, having formerly held positions as college president, vice president of instruction, dean and academic senate president. He taught Political Science as a tenured community college faculty member for 19 years and has a documented record of moving community colleges in directions that improve the academic success for students across all groups and has particular expertise with student populations from historically underserved communities.

Having worked extensively with legislative bodies and government agencies at the local, state and federal levels, Dr. Reece has a record of success with public-private partnerships and fundraising.

Dr. Reece has a bachelor of arts degree, master of arts degree and doctorate in Political Science from the University of Southern California.