Amy Diaz
2022-23 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellow
Dr. Amy Diaz has dedicated almost thirty years as a strategic and thoughtful leader in community colleges and currently serves as the interim president at GateWay Community College in Phoenix. She has served in many roles in student affairs including the vice president of student development at Rock Valley College in Illinois. In 2016, Diaz moved to Arizona to serve as an instructional dean then as vice president of academic affairs.
Diaz is an equity-minded leader who has advocated for student access and success in all of her roles. She is passionate about the mission of the community college – changing lives through education – and the diverse student body it serves. She is especially proud to lead an HSI where high impact practices are employed across the college aimed at ensuring equitable student success.
Highlights of her leadership include assessment for student learning, comprehensive program review, leadership development and fostering a college climate that embraces diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Across her career, Diaz has led several teams responsible for developing and implementing strategic enrollment management plans, academic plans, and instructional and co-curricular assessment plans.
Diaz has taught as an adjunct at the community college level in career exploration, first-year experience and mathematics; and in teacher education and educational psychology at the graduate level. She has served on multiple community advisory boards including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Black & Hispanic Achievers, and as the chief volunteer officer at the YMCA of the Rock River Valley where strong partnerships were developed. She also serves as a peer reviewer with the Higher Learning Commission.
Diaz holds a doctorate in educational psychology and master’s degree in counseling for higher education from Northern Illinois University; and a bachelor’s degree in secondary math education from the University of Iowa.
Diaz is an equity-minded leader who has advocated for student access and success in all of her roles. She is passionate about the mission of the community college – changing lives through education – and the diverse student body it serves. She is especially proud to lead an HSI where high impact practices are employed across the college aimed at ensuring equitable student success.
Highlights of her leadership include assessment for student learning, comprehensive program review, leadership development and fostering a college climate that embraces diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Across her career, Diaz has led several teams responsible for developing and implementing strategic enrollment management plans, academic plans, and instructional and co-curricular assessment plans.
Diaz has taught as an adjunct at the community college level in career exploration, first-year experience and mathematics; and in teacher education and educational psychology at the graduate level. She has served on multiple community advisory boards including Big Brothers Big Sisters, Black & Hispanic Achievers, and as the chief volunteer officer at the YMCA of the Rock River Valley where strong partnerships were developed. She also serves as a peer reviewer with the Higher Learning Commission.
Diaz holds a doctorate in educational psychology and master’s degree in counseling for higher education from Northern Illinois University; and a bachelor’s degree in secondary math education from the University of Iowa.