CAPIAA AANHPI Leader Spotlight Honoree

For our AANHPI Leaders Spotlight Series, we are proud to highlight inspiring leaders making a difference in the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities.

They are breaking barriers in their institutions, carving out new spaces, and building opportunities where none existed before. As the first in their roles, they are not just leading but redefining what leadership looks like. Their commitment to the AANHPI communities continues to inspire meaningful change across our state and beyond.

Read Dr. Sonya Christian’s profile below.

As the first South Asian woman to serve as Chancellor of California Community Colleges—the largest higher education system in the country—Dr. Sonya Christian leads over 2 million students across 116 colleges. Born in Kollam, a coastal town in the southern Indian state of Kerala, Dr. Christian’s upbringing was immersed in a fusion of cultural traditions. Her Italian, Indian, Anglo-Indian and Portuguese-Dutch roots instilled in her a worldview that celebrates difference and seeks unity. Her education at a Catholic all-girls school emphasized academic rigor and communal responsibility, lessons that guided her leadership. “We were taught that the highest achievement wasn’t individual glory, but shared uplift,” she reflects. That philosophy of collective success continues to shape her leadership.

Dr. Christian arrived in the United States as a graduate student, carrying the aspirations of an immigrant and a determination to make a difference. She built her career step by step, progressing from faculty member to academic leader, and now serves as Chancellor of California Community Colleges, which educates over 2 million students across 116 colleges. Her bicultural identity, once a source of complexity, now serves as a bridge, blending the traditions of her upbringing with the innovation of American higher education. Leading with compassion and conviction, Dr. Christian guided the system through the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruptions, quickly mobilizing online learning, securing technology, and basic needs in order to keep students on track. Grounded in empathy and humanity, she says, “I make space for hope and honesty. In times of uncertainty, we don’t retreat—we double down on our guiding values.” 

Dr. Christian’s impact reaches beyond crisis response, advancing California’s community colleges as leaders in clean energy education, early college access, and career-aligned workforce pathways. Her leadership focuses not on positional power but on unlocking the potential in others. “When I sense promise in someone—a spark—I simply take the time to help them see it too,” she says. Through her philosophy of “possibility thinking,” she emphasizes clarity of purpose, encouraging others to act boldly, guided by shared values and a clear sense of direction.

Dr. Christian is deeply committed to fostering AANHPI leadership, acknowledging the systemic barriers that hinder many from ascending to leadership roles. She believes the solution lies in transforming systems, not individuals. “At the heart of equity is the question of opportunity—who has it, who doesn’t, and what systems are in place to change that,” she says. “The challenge isn’t a lack of talent or aspiration; it’s about making opportunity truly accessible.” Her approach, “Meets people where they are—first-generation students, immigrants, working parents—and helps them move towards what they can become. We don’t just open the door; we walk beside them as they step through it.”

Looking ahead, Dr. Christian is excited about the transformative role community colleges can play in shaping California’s future. With rapid changes in technology, climate, and the economy, she sees a moment of unprecedented potential and responsibility. “I am deeply optimistic about what lies ahead,” she says. “Our greatest challenges enable us to do our greatest work.” To the next generation of AANHPI leaders, she offers clear guidance: “Your leadership is needed. It is essential. Our future depends on it. Lead with humility and strength, invite others to the table, and act with vision and conviction.”