Kaua‘i Community College names Margaret Sanchez as interim chancellor

Kauaiʻi Community college has appointed a new interim chancellor: Margaret Sanchez, who currently is serving as vice chancellor for student affairs.

Sanchez begins as interim chancellor on Jan. 3, 2023. She succeeds Joseph Daisy, who is retiring on Dec. 30 after a 44-year career in education, including 21 years in higher education. Daisy has served as Kauaʻi Community College’s chancellor since 2020.

“I am deeply grateful for Chancellor Daisy’s guidance of Kaua‘i CC and contributions to the community colleges system, especially over the past few years helping to navigate the campus through the pandemic,” said Erika Lacro, University of Hawaiʻi vice president for community colleges. “Chancellor Daisy‘s legacy of service and dedication to the residents of Kaua‘i County are much appreciated.”

Lacro selected Sanchez to serve in the interim position. 

“Margaret is committed to the success of our students, faculty and staff,” Lacro said. “Under her leadership, Margaret will guide Kaua‘i CC to continue addressing the needs of their community.” 

Under Sanchez’s leadership, Kauaʻi CC received more than $3.5 million in grants in support of its mission, including enabling the college to be a Native Hawaiian Indigenous-serving institution.

Before joining the Kaua‘i Community College leadership team in 2017, Sanchez served as dean of matriculation and assessment at City College of San Francisco. She continues as a trainer and steering committee member for Leading From the Middle, a professional development leadership program dedicated to developing and equipping middle leaders from California Community Colleges. 

She also served as both learning center director and MESA director, a learning community for students pursuing four-year degrees in STEM, at Mendocino College. Sanchez was a bilingual math/science instructor to high school migrant students and served in the U.S. Peace Corps as a middle school science and English instructor and field education officer.

Sanchez holds a master of arts in education degree from Sonoma State University and bachelor of arts in biochemistry and molecular biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She also has single subject teaching credentials in physical and biological science.