Cynthia Azari
President in Riverside, CA, US
Drawing on 35 years of educational experience, Cynthia Azari previously served as president of Fresno City College, a position she held for six years. In the role, Cynthia Azari managed a budget of $140 million and oversaw a staff of over 2,000 employees.
Leading the community college, the first of its kind in California, she was responsible for representing the institution in the wider community. Dr. Azari also oversaw capital fundraising efforts while operating the university’s food pantry and dream center, both of which she helped establish.
Being responsible for the hiring of new faculty, she aimed to bring on board a diverse range of lecturers and administrative staff. As a result of her leadership, Cynthia Azari was honored with the National TRIO Award in 2009. She has received multiple accolades throughout her career.
Alongside her academic work, Dr. Azari has developed numerous presentations while also writing articles for several publications. In 2008, for example, she authored “Measuring Student Outcomes in Postsecondary Vocational Education: Using Wage Record Data,” which was published in Community College Review.