Shakerra Carter

Dr. Shakerra Carter is a student-centered higher education leader who firmly believes that education is the key to unlocking opportunities that change life trajectories and break the cycle of intergenerational poverty that disproportionately impacts marginalized communities. Her work is inspired by her lived experience navigating higher education as a low-income, first-generation, student of color.

Dr. Carter has 15-year professional experiences working in colleges and universities across California’s public higher education system, including over 8 years working in California community colleges. Currently, Dr. Carter serves as the Acting Vice President of Student Services at San Diego College of Continuing Education, the largest provider of adult non-credit education in California. She uses a data-driven and equity-informed lens to lead a team of dedicated professionals and manages multi-million-dollar budgets which include federal, state categorical, and private grant funds. She is responsible for establishing institutional processes and business practices that support the development of an inclusive and equitable learning environment to improve student recruitment, retention, and degree completion.

Dr. Carter’s former administrative roles include serving as Dean of Outreach, Student Affairs and Title IX Compliance for the San Diego Community College District; Interim Director of Student Activities at Grossmont College; Interim Supervisor of Counseling and Assessment at Grossmont College; Admissions Counselor at San Diego State University; and GEAR UP Grant Coordinator at the University of California, San Diego.

Dr. Carter values professional development and life-long learning as tools for personal and professional growth. She earned her doctoral and master’s degrees in educational leadership from San Diego State University and a bachelor’s degree in child development from California State University, Chico.

A married mother of two, Dr. Carter and her family reside in San Diego, CA.