LIHU‘E — Vice President for Community Colleges Erika Lacro on Tuesday recommended to University of Hawai‘i President David Lassner that Margaret Sanchez be the next chancellor of Kaua‘i Community College (KCC).
The effective date of the appointment is July 19, 2024, according to an announcement from the University of Hawai‘i.
“Margaret has provided stability to Kaua‘i Community College during her interim appointment, and she will continue to support the college in its efforts to meet the local community workforce needs,” Lacro said. “Margaret joined Kaua‘i Community College in 2017, and she has developed strong relationships with local businesses and communities. She is ready to take Kaua‘i Community College to the next level.”
Sanchez has been serving as interim chancellor since 2023. Prior to that, she was the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs at the KCC for five years.
Prior to joining the KCC leadership team in 2017, Sanchez served as Dean of Matriculation and Assessment at City College of San Francisco. She also served as the Learning Center Director and Chemistry instructor at Mendocino College in Northern California.
Sanchez was a bilingual math and science instructor to high school migrant students, and served in the U.S. Peace Corps as a middle school science and English instructor and field education officer,.
“I am so grateful to have this opportunity to work in the Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau communities,” Sanchez said. “I am committed to the mission of Kaua‘i Community College to be a kahua, or foundation, that inspires, engages and empowers learners and education to enrich our community, and our world.”
“I am excited to continue the work with our students, staff and community to provide all island residents with increased access to reach their personal and education goals,” she said.
Sanchez holds a Master of Arts in Education degree from Sonoma University and a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
She also has single subject teaching credential in physical and biological science.
