Ryan E. Alcantara, Ph.D

A dynamic, student-centered leader, Dr. Ryan Alcantara has over 25 years of experience in education with a strong commitment to educational equity and social justice. A first-generation college graduate, he grew up in a bilingual household, where his parents instilled in him the value of hard work and education. A native Californian, Ryan earned a B.S. in Psychobiology from the University of California, Riverside, an M.A. in Educational Leadership from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, and a Ph.D. in Public Administration from the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy.

Ryan appreciates the transformative power of education, and his professional journey mirrors the work done and populations served at PIQE. That includes administrative roles at a variety of higher education institutions, mentoring educational leaders, and consulting with organizations on change management, strategic planning, and program implementation.

Previously, Ryan oversaw career services at USC Rossier School of Education and served as the vice president of student affairs at Marymount California University, overseeing a comprehensive Student Affairs portfolio. He has also worked at Irvine Valley College, served as interim associate vice chancellor and dean of students at UC-Riverside, and served in a variety of capacities at CSU-Fullerton, including associate vice president of student affairs. He serves as an adjunct faculty at the University of Southern California teaching at the graduate level at the Sol Price School of Public Policy, and is actively involved in the community, currently also serving as a Board of Trustee member and scholarship chair for the Marymount Education Foundation.

Ryan and his wife Suzanne have two boys, Vincent and Steven, both of whom benefited from public education. Vincent is a junior mechanical engineering major USC and Steven is a senior at Fullerton Union High School.