Saint Paul College is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Kristen Raney as Vice President of Academic Affairs-Chief Academic Officer and the appointment of Dr. Laura King as Vice President of Student Affairs-Chief Student Officer.
Dr. Kristen Raney has served as the Dean of Student Engagement, Persistence, and Success at Saint Paul College since 2015. She has been the Interim Vice President of Student Affairs since 2016. She also has led numerous initiatives, including developing a new model of pathway advising, expanding retention initiatives, and improving communication and outreach services. She continues to align academic and student affairs by co-leading the Assessment Academy Team and advocating for equity and inclusion both in and out of the classroom. Dr. Raney has a wide range of experiences in technical and community colleges that span both academic and student affairs. She taught in the English and Communication Department at Chippewa Valley Technical College for more than five years. During that time, she led department initiatives to align curriculum and infuse best practices into teaching and also worked in the faculty development department where she developed and taught two courses that prepare faculty for online teaching. She then transitioned to administration where she held several positions, including Academic Support Specialist, Manager of Learning Support, and Dean of Academic Development and Services. Dr. Raney holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, a Master of Science in Education, and a graduate certificate in Online Teaching and Learning. She earned her EdD in Higher Education Leadership in 2013. She is passionate about high-impact instructional practices and student success. Data driven and student-focused, she uses transformational leadership to empower staff and lead continuous improvement efforts, and has a strong knowledge of students’ needs, and a deep understanding of the College’s strategic priorities.
Dr. Laura King has served as the Dean of Institutional Research, Planning, and Effectiveness at Saint Paul College. As a leader in higher education, Dr. King has demonstrated her ability to foster student growth and success, use data to inform decision making, and to lead change. Throughout her career, she has held various roles in student affairs and institutional effectiveness at colleges in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Her roles have spanned several functional areas in student affairs including residence life, Greek life, student life and activities, new student programs, advising, retention and success programs, and grant-funded programs, such as Perkins. These professional roles coupled with her educational experiences have provided her with the opportunity to focus on equitable access to higher education, student success, affordability, social justice, student activism, institutional accountability, and continuous quality improvement. In 2016-2017 academic year, Dr. King led a team of faculty, staff, students, community partners, and employers to develop the Saint Paul College 2018-2022 Strategic Plan. Dr. King holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Performance from the University of Wisconsin- River Falls, a Master of Science in Education degree in College Student Development and Administration from the University of Wisconsin- La Crosse, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Policy and Administration in Higher Education and Evaluation Studies from the University of Minnesota with a dissertation titled College student environmental activism: How experiences and identities influence environmental activism approaches. She is passionate about college student development and engagement, student success, equity and inclusion, and data informed decision-making.
“Saint Paul College is very fortunate to have such outstanding individuals in Dr. Kristen Raney and Dr. Laura King appointed as the new vice presidents,” said Dr. Rassoul Dastmozd, college president/CEO. “The College’s mission is “Education for Employment…Education for Life” and Dr. Raney and Dr. King both have the student at the center of their endeavors as they help promote our mission. I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome of our nationwide searches, and thank all who served on our search committees.”
