University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen and University of Alaska Anchorage Chancellor Cathy Sandeen share the latest about what is happening at the systemwide office and at UAA. President Johnsen discusses the challenges and impacts as the system navigates state budget reductions and direction from the Board of Regents. UAA Chancellor Cathy Sandeen discusses how UAA is positioning itself for success in spite of budget challenges.
PLUS, a member presentation from Jack Mander of Personnel Plus Employment Agency.
Dr. Johnsen was appointed to serve as the 14th president of the University of Alaska on July 28, 2015. His experience includes executive leadership positions in the private sector with Alaska Communications and with Doyon, Limited, and in higher education between 1996-2008 in several executive roles including vice president of administration and chief of staff. As president, Dr. Johnsen is a commissioner on the Denali Commission and the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education, a member of the Alaska Aerospace Corporation Board, a director on the UA Foundation Board, and a member of the Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council. His education includes a B.A. in politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz, master’s in political science from the University of Chicago, and doctorate in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Cathy Sandeen is an educational leader who is committed to providing opportunity for more Alaskans to earn degrees and credentials through strategic innovation. She began serving as chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage in September 2018.
UAA’s core missions are excellence, student success and workforce development. With campuses in Anchorage, Homer, Kodiak, Palmer, Soldotna and Valdez, as well as Middle Colleges for high school students in Anchorage and Palmer, UAA is Alaska’s largest postsecondary institution.
Prior to joining the University of Alaska system, Sandeen was chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Colleges and UW-Extension for four years. As vice president for education attainment and innovation at the American Council on Education, she led ACE's nationwide effort to increase postsecondary educational attainment.
She also held leadership positions in the University of California system including at UCLA, Santa Cruz and San Francisco.
Sandeen earned a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Utah and a Master of Business Administration degree from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. She was named an American Council on Education Fellow in 2010-11.