Dr. Denise Swett is the Vice President of Student Services at Foothill College. Denise has worked at both 2 and 4-year colleges, including 11 years at the University of San Francisco in student life, Chabot College as Dean of Students, and Cañada College as Vice President of Student Services.
Denise has been with Foothill College since July of 2007. As vice president she provides leadership and guidance for the student services division. She also supervises a collaborative team of faculty and staff providing coursework, programs, and services at Middlefield Campus, area high schools and Regional Occupational Programs, and community based organizations. She also oversees career and workforce grants, the Workforce Innovation Partnership, and the Family Engagement Institute and college-wide professional development.
She was Administrator of the Year, Foothill College, 2008-09 and has been recognized for her work by the Association of Mexican American Educators of Silicon Valley receiving the Educator of the Year award for 2010-11, and recently received the National Community College Administrator of the Year 2011-12 from NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Denise earned her BA and MPA at San Jose State University and her Ed.D. in organization and leadership (with a concentration in higher education administration) from the University of San Francisco.
Dr. Christina Royal has been involved in education for over 15 years, in both academic (community college and private four-year institutions) and corporate environments. She currently serves as the Associate Vice President of eLearning & Innovation at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C), and has district-wide oversight over one of the largest distance-learning units in the state of Ohio. Her extensive experience as an administrator and faculty member allows her to bring significant expertise and value to discussions, and a forward-thinking approach to ideas associated with contemporary higher education teaching and learning practices, approaches, issues, and solutions.
Dr. Royal is leading Tri-C’s $2MM Title III grant to enhance distance learning in four key areas: student success and retention, innovative faculty development, infrastructure and technology, and quality. She also led the College in obtaining its first regional accreditation (Higher Learning Commission) for fully online programs at Tri-C. Dr. Royal developed and led the College in its most comprehensive strategic planning process for distance learning. Under her leadership, Tri-C has advanced policy and program development, virtual support services, faculty professional development and training, and technology system integration and innovation in support of teaching and learning.
Dr. Royal received her Ph.D. in Education/Instructional Design for Online Learning and a Graduate Certificate in Teaching Online from Capella University. She also received a Master's in Educational Psychology and Bachelor's in Mathematics from Marist College.
