Now more than ever, the voices and perspectives of BIPOC leaders are essential to shaping the future of higher education. As institutions grapple with a rapidly changing sociopolitcal climate (e.g., Knox & Alonso, 2025; Quinn, 2025), the need for inclusive, equity-minded leadership has never been more urgent. BIPOC leaders bring vision, resilience, and innovation to their roles, yet their presence in senior leadership remains disproportionately low. In 2022, BIPOC individuals constituted only 28% of all presidents in higher education institutions (ACE 2023), despite comprising over 40% of the U.S. population (U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts, 2025). This disparity underscores the systemic barriers that BIPOC administrators continue to face in their careers. As higher education leaders from diverse backgrounds, we have navigated these challenges firsthand. Our stories are not anomalies, but they reflect larger, persistent patterns. In this article, we share insights from our panel discussion at ACAD 2025 in Phoenix AZ, exploring how our sociocultural identities shape our leadership philosophies, the systemic obstacles we encounter, and the collective work needed to build a more inclusive future for higher education.
Authentic, Purpose-driven Leadership for Innovation and Inclusion
By Christie Chung
I currently serve as the Executive Director of The Mills Institute at Northeastern University, a global, multidisciplinary institute that advances the legacy of Mills College as a historic women’s college, following its merger with Northeastern University in 2022. In this role, I am responsible for developing transformative programs, research, and partnerships that elevate educational opportunities and leadership development worldwide. Throughout my career, I have served in many senior leadership roles, including Associate Provost for Student Success and Undergraduate Education, Associate Dean for Research, Scholarship, and Partnerships, as well as Special Advisor to the Senior Vice President.
My journey into leadership has been guided by a strong desire to serve, mentor, and drive innovation. Along the way, I have come to see leadership as a powerful platform, not just for shaping ideas, but also for opening doors for people of all backgrounds to contribute and ensuring underrepresented voices are valued in decision-making processes. Diverse perspectives are the foundation of meaningful innovation. After all, to innovate is to create change, and meaningful change is only possible when we embrace different points of view coming from diverse walks of life.
In my journey through higher education and into leadership, I have encountered both implicit and explicit barriers. Among them, the “double-paned glass ceiling” that affects advancement for Asian women due to harmful racial and sexual stereotypes. In the U.S., Asian women hold only 0.6% of senior leadership roles such as President or Chancellor in higher education, compared to 6% as full-time faculty. Thus, I am often the only Asian woman in leadership settings. In turn, I am often expected to represent an entire community, real or perceived, regardless of my own cultural identity. This added layer of emotional labor is a cognitive burden that leaders of majority identity may never have to carry.
To navigate these challenges, I have leaned on what many leaders would call a Personal Board of Directors—a trusted group of mentors, sponsors, advocates, and connectors who have provided guidance and opened doors. I have also learned to lead with authenticity, bringing my full self to leadership and creating spaces where others feel safe to do the same. To me, leadership is about inspiring and empowering those around us to achieve their full potential and to accomplish shared goals. My advice to emerging leaders is to own your story, lead with authenticity, and cultivate mentors and sponsors who can advocate for your growth. Equally important is the commitment to pay it forward by investing in the next generation of talented leaders, for example, by creating concrete opportunities for career advancement and by providing time and financial support for professional development. Together, we can build a future where every leader has the opportunity to thrive and a seat at the table they help create.
Power of Transformation Through Representation and Resilience
By Gabriel Warren
I am currently serving as the Dean of Business, Industry, Human Services, & Applied Design at Century College in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. In this role, I am leading a team of approximately 73 faculty and staff within 25 academic programs, ranging from traditional programs such as business, criminal justice, accounting, and education to more technical programs like HVAC, cosmetology, auto service technology, and welding.
My desire to move into leadership in higher education began when I started teaching as a marketing faculty member. Early on, I recognized how important it was for students to see role models in the classroom who could relate to their lived experiences, especially in communities where there is very little racial diversity. I also became aware of certain limitations within the faculty role that I knew as an administrator I would have an opportunity to provide my input and perspective on when discussions were happening. For example, if I noticed that an institutional policy was being an obstacle to a student’s overall success, such as determining course modality; as a faculty member I could bring it to the attention of campus administration, but in an administrator role myself, I have the ability to make the change. Being able to not just have a seat at the table but use my voice to challenge narratives and remove barriers for others has become my driving force. Whether I am participating in student life, mentoring faculty, or engaging with institutional stakeholders, I show up everyday to create transformational moments in the lives of our students.
While the work is deeply rewarding, it has not been without its challenges. One of the most significant obstacles I have faced is overcoming the limitations and stereotypes placed on me simply for being a black male. There have been numerous occasions where I have felt the need to prove to myself that I belong in decision-making spaces, where policies are being created and critical conversations are taking place. Another obstacle I have faced is the feeling of isolation and loneliness that came from relocating to a rural community to advance my career. I vividly remember not being able to find a local place for my family and myself to get our hair done, enjoy the foods we liked, or worship in a way that we were accustomed to being raised in the southeastern part of the United States. These experiences pushed me to look for ways to overcome the feelings of loneliness and disconnection. So, my family and I would travel most weekends to places where we would feel more of a sense of belonging and have the opportunity to engage in cultural norms that we enjoyed doing.
What helped me most was finding and building a community of support. I sought out ways to build community and engaged in regular professional development opportunities so that I could continue to be around others who share similar values and experiences. Being part of a statewide system of colleges and universities, I proactively connected with other black leaders across campuses for mentorship support. This professional network has been invaluable.
One piece of advice I would share with anyone aspiring to leadership in higher education is to know that you are enough and your perspective is needed. Do not be afraid to use your voice. You have the ability to lead transformational change in the lives of others.
Leading with Confident Humility in Times of Uncertainty
By Emily Chan
I am the Vice President and Dean of the Faculty at Colorado College, a residential liberal arts college at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. As chief academic officer, I have the honor to nourish our shared vision, leadership culture, strategic planning, and steward the curriculum and faculty thriving. We do this in a team including 30 departments and the Library, with over 200 regular faculty, 100 staff members, and additional visiting faculty.
Eleven years ago, when I embarked on academic administration, I was drawn to learn about the structural dimensions of higher education. I was mentored by generous colleagues; while many were from my internal College network—peer faculty, cabinet leadership—my mentorship network grew outside my college, from APA LIWP, HERS, ACE, and relationships from graduate study. Both internal and external mentors are crucial, and as my work grew in complexity, and as topics became intertwined with sector-wide questions, diverse mentors beyond academic administration and from other institutions became essential sources of wisdom. We as a community of education leaders face shared existential questions: how will higher education empower future students to lead in service of humanity at a time when it feels like the world is teetering from major crisis to crisis? What must we do to make visible the value of education and restore trust in educational institutions? How should college education evolve so as to not only lead to student thriving and individual’s post-graduate success, but that must also affirm our commitment to serving the public good and global justice? These are questions none of us can answer in isolation. These questions require working across differences in professional backgrounds, epistemologies, politics, and experiences. The experience and fluency in code-switching, a skill often highly developed for people from historically marginalized identities, can be an asset for leading by bridging differences. However, as with all vexing problems that are high stakes, they are not easy–conflicts, stalemates, contentiousness can feel like the rule rather than the exception. Cultural fluency may help bridge differences but does not address underlying structural and power issues. In these challenging moments, all leaders ask “How can I do better?” “What did I do wrong?” “Was it them?” “Was it me?” and for BIPOC leaders or leaders with other historically marginalized identities, there are often the added questions of “Was it because of how they think of my (group) of people?” “Can a different style of leadership outside of the popular and familiar styles work in higher education?” “How can I make a difference when culture and powerful practices will not budge?”
There are no shortages of books, podcasts, and strategist reports promising leadership success and cultural transformation. Instead of chasing every new approach, we each must find our own leadership essence. When you find it, trust your internal compass. For me, I have learned the value of “confident humility”—the importance of listening and learning from diverse perspectives, embracing seemingly contradictory approaches, and leading with steadfastness to effect purposeful change. A poem from Du Fu (Spring Rain, CE 761) hangs in my office as a visual reminder of this leadership essence; The poem’s imagery of gentle rain nurturing all life reminds me that effective leadership requires both determination and an ethic of universal care. This is a framework that I have found useful at all scales of action, from hiring decisions to major space and capital projects, from performance feedback to individuals to multiyear strategic planning for campus initiatives. By authentically integrating our personal identities and lived experiences into leadership, we create environments where all parts of our campuses contribute to the creation of independent and creative knowledge so that we can boldly address the complex challenges facing higher education and beyond.
Building Inclusive Spaces Through Intentional, Relational Leadership
By Maria S. Wong
As the Associate Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Communication, & Humanities at Endicott College, I have been fortunate to find a professional home where I can both lead and continue to grow. I identify as a Chinese American woman and my journey into academic administration has been deeply personal, shaped by my values and lived experiences.
I chose to move into administration because I love learning something new every day, and I thrive on the opportunity to bring people together to accomplish something greater than any one of us could do alone. I strive to build inclusive, collaborative environments where all voices are heard and where team members feel safe, valued, and encouraged to explore new ideas. Sometimes that means being vulnerable myself, but I believe that vulnerability fosters openness and invites others to do the same. For example, I shared with my team how some recent, challenging cases have affected me personally. I know that junior colleagues sometimes feel pressure to hold it all together and avoid showing any signs of struggle. By being transparent about my own experience, I hope to model that it is okay to be human. For me, effective leadership is about creating a culture grounded in trust, purpose, and care.
What brings me the greatest satisfaction is seeing real, tangible progress. For example, programs that did not exist before but developed together from scratch, such as dedicating a day to learn about diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, or identifying an operational gap and working across teams to find a solution that makes everything run more smoothly. Those moments of institutional growth, however incremental, fuel me.
What I bring to the table is shaped by my life experiences. Having lived in various places both within and outside of the United States, I have developed a deep sensitivity to context, culture, and the nuances of communication. I have learned to navigate different spaces, often code-switching between languages, cultural expectations, or communication styles. In my cultural upbringing, active listening and hard work were valued, but being assertive was discouraged. Yet in leadership—especially in the U.S., and particularly for women—being quiet often means being overlooked. I am keenly aware of the challenges women face, especially those who share similar cultural backgrounds. These experiences allow me to support and connect with the diverse needs of our students, faculty, and staff in a more meaningful and inclusive way.
In many rooms, I am still one of the few, if not the only, Asian American woman at the table. That visibility is not lost on me, but has become one of the reasons why I care so deeply about mentoring and uplifting others, especially the next generation of Asian American women leaders in higher education. For me, leadership is not about hierarchy—it is about community, care, and creating structures where people can thrive. Perhaps this is exactly why we need to remain committed to diversifying leadership at every level. I am excited for what is ahead and grateful for the opportunity to continue building, learning, and leading with intention.
References
American Council on Education (ACE). (2023). The American College President: 2023 Edition. https://www.acenet.edu/Documents/American-College-President-IX-2023.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Knox, L. & Alonso, J. (2025). Trump’s 100-day war on higher ed. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/politics-elections/2025/04/30/how-trumps-first-100-days-transformed-higher-ed
Quinn, R. (2025). Ohio and Kentucky ban DEI, reduce tenure protections. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty-issues/academic-freedom/2025/04/01/ohio-and-kentucky-ban-dei-reduce-tenure-protections
U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts. (2025). Population estimates, July 1, 2024. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045224
