Daisy Gonzales, Ph.D., is a student-centered leader whose life-long commitment to social justice, equity and inclusion is guided by the empowerment of communities and partnerships that enable economic mobility. With over two decades of experience in higher education and statewide fiscal policy, she began her career in the classroom and currently serves as the second highest administrator for California’s Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. As Deputy Chancellor, she formulates policies to distribute $13 billion in local assistance and capital outlay funds to 73 districts, designs professional development to advance student success, and coordinates state and federal advocacy to secure resources that enable 116 colleges to design learning environments and services for 1.9 million students.

Daisy was honored to be recently selected to lead the California Student Aid Commission as Executive Director. As a former Cal Grant and Chafee Foster Youth student herself, she draws from her first hand experience of the transformative power of higher education and financial aid.

Dr. Gonzales is a first-generation college student and a proud alumna of California’s Community Colleges. She holds a B.A. in Public policy, and M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology. She lives in San Diego with her husband, a K-12 education leader.

She thanks her sponsors Constance Carroll, Tina King and Laurie Coskey.