Edward C. Bush, Ph.D. (Chair)

Edward C. Bush PhD has 25 years of experience in higher education, with 23 of those years serving in the California Community Colleges System. He is well known throughout the State of California as a leader who has been able to reimagine traditional institutional practices. Dr. Bush holds a Ph.D. in Urban Educational Leadership from Claremont Graduate University, a Master of Arts Degree in Public Administration from California State University San Bernardino, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California Riverside.

Dr. Bush began his Professional Journey in Higher Education as an Admissions Recruiter for California State University, San Bernardino. He then went on to serve as a faculty member and administrator in the Riverside Community College District for 17 years. During this time, Dr. Bush was widely respected as an equity-focused, student-centered faculty member and administrator that was able to work collaboratively across stakeholder groups to develop innovative programs to improve the student experience.

Dr. Bush currently serves as the President of Cosumnes River College in Sacramento. He is a student success-focused leader with a clear vision and expertise in leading organizations through periods of change and structural disruption. Dr. Bush is an educational visionary whose innovative approach has improved student outcomes while reducing both achievement and opportunity gaps for students of color and other historically marginalized student populations. Dr. Bush is dedicated to creating teams of Educators who are committed to work towards meeting the evolving needs of students and the communities in which they serve.

As a scholar practitioner, Dr. Bush is committed to tackling issues relating to equity, diversity, and access for all students. His leadership expertise includes his involvement on Statewide committees and initiatives. He currently serves as the Area 2 representative for the California Community College League CEO Board, the CEO Representative for the State’s Chancellor Office Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee as well as the Chancellor’s Office Student Success Metrics Task Force. Moreover, Dr. Bush is a co-author of multiple books and book chapters and has published 12 peer-reviewed publications for a variety of scholarly journals.

Dr. Bush has a history of developing programs and services that foster student success as well as creating successful targeted programs for underserved populations. He is a Co-Founder and Board Member of the African American Male Network and Development, Incorporated (A2MEND). A2MEND is a non-profit organization comprised of Community College Faculty and Administrators who volunteer their time to use their scholarly and professional expertise to foster institutional change within the Colleges they serve. A2MEND is a nationally recognized organization that has successfully improved the educational outcomes for men of color enrolled in the California Community College System. Dr. Bush also currently serves as a Board Member for 4 Non-Profit Foundations and remains committed to being a resource and thought leader for numerous college and district-level committees. Dr. Bush has presented his strategies for improving student outcomes for numerous national, statewide, and local organizations.