Dr. Kenneth Lawson has over 20 years of experience working in community colleges in Washington State. He began as an adjunct faculty in basic education. From that experience, he gained an appreciation for the power of community colleges to make a transformative difference in students’ aspiration, success, and well-being. Dr. Lawson’s career has focused on ensuring equitable access, achievement, and outcomes for all students, and he is deeply committed to the role higher education plays as an agent of positive social change.

Dr. Lawson joined Shoreline Community College as a full-time faculty in political science. As dean of the social sciences/equity and social justice division at Shoreline, he helped create a Global Affairs Center, an inclusive honor’s program, and a Center for Service-Learning. Dr. Lawson also served as dean of humanities and social sciences at Seattle Central College.

In 2013, Dr. Lawson moved to Skagit Valley College in Washington, as the vice president for instruction. In that role, he works with faculty and staff to create equitable learning environments, programs responsive to local economic and social needs, and educational pathways to serve underrepresented and marginalized populations. Dr. Lawson has helped lead Skagit Valley College’s strategy to improve student learning and success through the implementation of a comprehensive guided pathways approach, placing equity at the center of the effort.

Dr. Lawson has a doctorate in political science from the University of Washington, and both a master of arts and bachelor of science in political science from the University of Utah.