(Santa Ana, CA) – Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Annebelle Nery to serve as the next president of Santa Ana College (SAC), effective January 3, 2022.

As President, Nery’s responsibilities include planning, organizing and implementing educational policy and procedures to develop curriculum and student support services. She will also be charged with managing the college’s budget and enhancing partnerships with regional business, governmental and community organizations, including K-12 and other higher education institutions in the area. She will lead the institution’s fund development efforts.

Nery said she looks forward to working with the administration, faculty and staff at SAC.

“Santa Ana College is an extraordinary and historic institution,” she said. “I am honored to serve as its next president and to work alongside some of the very best and brightest faculty and staff in the California community college system. I will do everything in my power to serve the students of the college and our Orange County community-at-large.”

RSCCD Chancellor Marvin Martinez said Nery’s wealth of experience and her commitment to student success and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives align perfectly with the district’s vision for the college into the future.

“Dr. Nery’s track record speaks for itself,” Martinez said. “Her energy and enthusiasm for Santa Ana College and our students is something I believe will continue the college’s long legacy of academic excellence.”

Nery has more than 25 years of experience in education. Under her leadership, her institutions have earned state and national recognition, improved student outcomes, positively impacted their respective local communities and closed equity gaps. During her tenure, Nery helped shepherd College of the Desert’s highly-acclaimed EDGE/pIEDGE Program, an initiative that has been widely recognized as positively improving equity and diversity at the institution. The California Community Colleges named Nery the Chief Student Services Officer of the Year in 2019.

Nery is vice president of instruction at College of the Desert in Palm Desert, where she previously served as vice president of student success. She earned a doctor of philosophy in sociology from the University of California, Riverside, a master of arts in sociology, a bachelor of arts in sociology from California State University, Los Angeles and an associate in arts in general education from Los Angeles Pierce College.

About Santa Ana College

Santa Ana College (SAC), which turned 100 years old in 2015, serves about 18,000 students each semester. The college prepares students for transfer to four-year institutions, provides invaluable workforce training, and customized training for business and industry. In addition, another 11,000 students are served through the college’s School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center. Ranked as one of the nation’s top two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students, the college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses, firefighters, law enforcement and other medical personnel. SAC is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District.​