Kristen Soares
President
Kristen Soares is the fourth president of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities. As president, Soares works in partnership with leaders around the state to shape policy for California’s independent colleges and universities. Soares serves as the chief spokesperson for the Independent California College and University sector, comprised of over 80 California independent, nonprofit institutions, all dedicated to the public good. Under her leadership, to advance new policy initiatives to address the needs of today’s students, the association adopted an agreement with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to adopt the Associate Degree for Transfer pathway, a groundbreaking program to improve community college transfer for students.
Soares serves on several boards including: the California Education Round Table; the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) State Executives Council; the NAICU committee on Student Aid Policy; the California Museum; the Better Together California Teacher Summit Steering Committee; and the Public Policy Institute of California Higher Education Center. Additionally, she chairs the California Intersegmental Coordinating Council.
Soares has extensive background in higher education, policy, administration, and governmental advocacy. Before coming to AICCU, Soares spent nearly 25 years at the University of Southern California (USC). She served as the senior associate vice president for government relations and civic engagement, where she provided strategic direction and leadership for USC’s government and community relations offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Washington, D.C.
Soares is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration.