Mónica Castañeda

Ms. Mónica Castañeda brings 18 years of higher education experience in student affairs at the Maricopa Community Colleges in Arizona. Ms. Castaneda's higher education experience encompasses student success program development and implementation, adjunct teaching experience, and experience designing operational strategies to support student success and persistence across the Maricopa Community Colleges. Ms. Castañeda earned a bachelor of liberal arts degree from Arizona State University and a master’s in higher education leadership from Northern Arizona University. She has completed all required coursework and is ABD towards an educational doctorate from Grand Canyon University.

Ms. Castañeda’s higher education career began as a computer lab technician at Phoenix College in 2001 and adjunct faculty member teaching Spanish courses at both Phoenix College and Chandler-Gilbert Community College. Ms. Castañeda has served students in both local urban community colleges as well as in leadership positions within the Maricopa Community College District. As coordinator of student success programs from 2007 to 2012 she developed, implemented, and directed programming and enrollment services for seven programs within the division of academic and student affairs at the Maricopa district office.

Currently, Ms. Castañeda is the vice president of student affairs at Glendale Community College. Prior to this position she was associate dean of academic affairs at GCC North Campus and then dean of student life at GCC Main Campus. Ms. Castañeda is a National Community College Hispanic Council Fellow and a graduate of the Phoenix Hispanic Leadership Institute, and was recognized as one of the Phoenix Business Journal’s top 40 Hispanic leaders under 40.