Kim Lopez is a second generation Mexican-American who has served as an educational leader in the California Community Colleges for over 25 years. She attributes her passion for equity-centered education to her paternal grandparents who immigrated to the United States in the early 1900’s from the Chihuahua region of Mexico. As the eleventh of twelve children, Kim’s father earned a football scholarship to Northern Arizona University from the small copper mining town of Clifton, Arizona. Access to higher education allowed her father to move out of poverty and increase his socioeconomic status. He not only paved the way for Kim, but for her children and future grandchildren.
Her professional journey began as an undergraduate student working in the Career Center at the University of California in Santa Barbara. She continued her career in higher education as a graduate assistant in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. As a graduate student, Kim successfully wrote a Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program (TRIO) grant and was hired to be the first director.
Since then, she continued to work with low-income and first-generation college students while serving for three years as the Assistant Dean of Students at the University of California, San Diego and for two years as the Upward Bound (TRIO) director at the College of Micronesia on the island of Kosrae.
While serving for thirteen years at the College of the Siskiyous (COS) as the EOPS/CARE, CalWORKs and TRIO counselor and director, Kim developed her skills in college teaching, as a faculty leader and in student services administration. She served as the Academic Senate President at COS for three years and on the Academic Senate Executive Committee for six years. Over the past twelve years Kim has continued to develop her leadership skill-set as the Dean of Enrollment Services and Counseling at Cañada College and as the Vice President of Student Services at both College of San Mateo and Cañada College.
Kim is currently serving as President of Cañada College in Redwood City, California, a position she has held since July 2022. Previously, she served as the Interim President of Cañada College from August 2021 – June 2022 and as the Interim President of College of San Mateo, a position she held from August 2019 – June 2021.
As an active member in the community, she currently serves on the JobTrain Board of Directors, San Mateo Chamber Education Committee and as an Executive Team member for Redwood City Together. Additionally, she has led fundraising efforts at Cañada College and at College of San Mateo for the Promise Scholars Program, student basic needs and student scholarships.
