News Release
For Release: December 16, 2022
Contact: Scott Fuller
Email: sfuller@naspa.org
Phone: (202) 790-5965
WASHINGTON, D.C. — NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, the leading association for the advancement, health, and sustainability of the student affairs profession, proudly announces that Anna Gonzalez, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Washington University in St. Louis (WashU), has been approved by the NASPA Board of Directors as a candidate for the upcoming Board Chair election.
Per the NASPA bylaws, the NASPA membership annually elects the leadership of the Association. The NASPA Board Chair position, one that carries with it a three-year term including one year each as Board Chair-Elect and Past Board Chair, is the most distinct and prestigious role into which a NASPA volunteer leader may be elected.
The election will open on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, and close on Thursday, February 9, 2023. Only current NASPA members are eligible to vote.
The winning candidate will begin their term as Board Chair-Elect at the conclusion of the NASPA Annual Business Meeting on April 5, 2023.
Dr. Anna Gonzalez (she/her/hers), or “Dr. G” as she is known to students, is a nationally recognized student affairs leader with over 30 years of experience in higher education. As WashU’s Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Dr. Gonzalez’s primary focus is to provide leadership to the university’s renowned Division of Student Affairs, engage with students to recognize their needs and enhance their experiences, spearhead transformative giving opportunities with University Advancement, and implement innovative strategies to ensure WashU is a leader in providing a 21st century higher education experience. Within her diverse portfolio, Gonzalez oversees WashU’s unified Center for Career Engagement, health and well-being, Residential Life, the Center for Diversity & Inclusion, Athletics & Recreation, Campus Life, and Bear Beginnings — WashU’s orientation program for first-year students.
Dr. Gonzalez served on several regional and national boards, including NASPA. She has delivered national keynotes and is a published author. Her research interests are focused on first-generation students, immigrant students, equity and diversity, higher education policy and governance, personnel development, and higher education finance. Her scholarly publications include the book “Transformational Encounters: Shaping Diverse College and University Leaders.”
A first-generation college student who immigrated to the United States at the age of 10, Gonzalez is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University with a bachelor’s degree in international business. She earned her master’s and doctoral degrees, both in education, from Claremont Graduate University. Dr. Gonzalez enjoys traveling, getting to know the local food scene, gardening, and spending lots of time with her family and her two dogs — Rafa and Yoshi.
NASPA is the leading association for the advancement, health, and sustainability of the student affairs profession. Our work provides high-quality professional development, advocacy, and research for 13,000 members in all 50 states, 25 countries, and 8 U.S. territories.