College of Education announces new associate dean
The College of Education is welcoming a new leader to The Beach: Dr. BreAnna (Bre) Evans-Santiago, who will serve as one of its two associate deans and as a full professor in the Department of Teacher Education.
Evans-Santiago has been department chair of Teacher Education at CSU Bakersfield since 2020. During that time, she was also co-director and co-principal investigator of the CSU Center for Transformational Educator Prep Programs, a $3.3 million grant funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Evans-Santiago has held other leadership positions at Bakersfield including co-coordinating the Black Educator Teacher Residency Program, a nationally recognized initiative that has earned more than $300,000 in grant funding to support teacher residents of color.
Evans-Santiago earned her doctorate and bachelor’s degrees at Illinois State University and her master’s degree at CSU San Bernardino.
“Bre will begin her appointment on Aug. 1, and we look forward to her enthusiasm, expertise and experience helping enact our goal of becoming the leader in the practice of urban education,” College of Education Dean Anna Ortiz said in announcing the news.
Ortiz said the college received a record number of applications for its associate dean position and thanked the search committee for its “diligent and deep focus on equity and other elements of our strategic plan that were key to bringing someone of Dr. Evans-Santiago’s caliber to our campus.”
“I am so elated!” Evans-Santiago said. “I cannot wait to work with the faculty, staff and students at The Beach. I am honored to serve, and I look forward to joining the CSULB family on August 1st. Let’s Go Beach!”
