Shoreline Community College is pleased to announce Brian Crisanto Ramos as the new Vice President of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. When asked about his new role, Brian said, “I am so thrilled and humbled to be joining the Shoreline community this summer! We have some exciting and challenging work ahead of us, but I truly couldn’t be more honored to be in community with each of you. As a graduate from our local community college system, I know firsthand the passion we bring and the impact we are going to make as we co-create a more equitable and inclusive campus for all staff, faculty, and students.” He will begin his new role on July 1, 2024.
Brian is a proud member of the Pipil, Lenca, and Mayan Nations of Manawara, often referred to as El Salvador and Costa Rica. As a son to Salvadoran refugees and a first-generation TRIO student, he is the byproduct of a resilient community dedicated to the uplifting of all people.
Ramos holds a master’s degree in Cultural Studies from the University of Washington, and also received a bachelor’s in political science from Seattle University, and an associate’s degree in political science from Edmonds College. For over ten years, Brian has served within the WA State Community College system. He began his career within student services at Everett Community College, working hands-on with students in Financial Aid and Workforce Funding. During this time, he worked to co-create and implement a new framework of equity, and thus transitioned to the Associate Director of Retention. Brian brought together various Tribal Nations and the campus community to create a space for Indigenous Students called huyadadaličəɬ, “The Place of Our Way,” where Native students were directly supported in an effort to increase Native student retention.
Most recently, he has served within the Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Lake Washington Institute of Technology. In this role, he focused his work on reviewing and redesigning institutional systems through an equity lens, creating avenues to learn and grow as a campus community, providing guidance to departments, staff, and faculty on co-creating equitable changes. Brian brings a passion for relationship building and has created and fostered relationships at both Everett Community College & Lake Washington Tech with Tribal Nations, bringing Land Acknowledgements to life through accountability & actions.
Through his Indigenous roots, Brian has learned to challenge systems designed by, and for the dominant culture while maintaining himself rooted in the voices of his ever-resilient communities. Along with this, Brian is supported by an amazing fluffy white Dog named Appa, his service dog & best friend! Every week he recharges by playing board games, Magic the Gathering, and exploring new places while playing Pokémon GO.
