Cecilia Santiago-González, Ph.D.

Dr. Cecilia Santiago-González is a dedicated higher education leader and first-generation college graduate, born to Mexican immigrants from Jalisco, Mexico. Her lived experiences navigating education have fueled a deep commitment to advancing student success, equity, and inclusion in higher education.

She currently serves as the Associate Vice President for Student Success at Cal Poly Pomona, where she provides strategic leadership to improve student retention, graduation, and academic achievement. In this role, she oversees the Office of Student Success, which includes a range of academic advising and support programs aimed at removing institutional barriers and promoting equitable outcomes. Her leadership has been widely recognized; in 2022, she was named an Outstanding Advising Administrator by NACADA, and in 2024, Cal Poly Pomona received the NASPA Gold Excellence Award for its innovative, coordinated advising strategies under her guidance.

Dr. Santiago-González also serves as principal investigator for several grants focused on closing equity gaps and improving student outcomes. She led the development and implementation of Billy Chat, an AI-powered chatbot that provides timely, personalized support to Cal Poly Pomona students, which was highlighted in the Los Angeles Times. The tool has transformed how the institution communicates with students—offering real-time responses at scale—and has provided valuable insights into student behavior and needs, enabling more proactive and informed support strategies. A strong advocate for fostering supportive learning environments, she co-authored an Inside Higher Ed article highlighting strategies to encourage help-seeking behaviors among college students.

In addition to her administrative leadership, Dr. Santiago-González has served as an adjunct faculty member in the Educational Leadership department at Cal State Fullerton, teaching courses in educational leadership, research and assessment, fieldwork, and the history of higher education. She regularly presents at conferences focused on student success, offering thought leadership on how data-informed, student-centered policy, technology, and culturally responsive practices can drive institutional transformation.

She holds a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California, where her dissertation explored the role of faculty as institutional agents for low-income Latino students in STEM at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). She also earned a Master’s in College Student Affairs from Azusa Pacific University and a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Whittier College.

Beyond her professional work, Dr. Santiago-González is a proud wife to David and mother to two daughters, Camila and Emi. Together, they enjoy going to the beach, traveling, and eating lots of ice cream.