Aaron Reader has been named vice president at Highline College. He will oversee the college’s Student Services division.
The division manages several departments and programs, including Advising, Admissions, Running Start, Women’s Programs, Financial Aid, TRiO, International Student Programs, Athletics, Center for Cultural and Inclusive Excellence and Center for Leadership and Service.
“I look forward to the opportunity to learn the division, build trust and relationships, and learn the needs of our students,” Reader said. “Together we will create and elevate our student success practices and services ensuring they are innovative, strategic, collaborative and responsive to our students and community. I will lead with an equity, diversity and inclusion lens fostering an environment of authenticity and great levels of achievement. I’m excited to join Dr. Mosby and his leadership team.”
Scheduled to begin at Highline on Monday, March 2, Reader is currently Dean of Student Success at Renton Technical College. There, he serves as a student-centered and equity-focused administrator, who oversees the offices of Advising and Counseling; Entry, Outreach and Recruitment; Veteran Services; Student Conduct; Running Start; and International Students.
“As Highline College begins a new chapter in terms of creating a new student success agenda that addresses and advocates for the needs of our students, we are looking for that exceptional and innovative leadership to guide our community,” Highline College President John Mosby said. “And I’m confident and excited that Aaron Reader will be joining our Highline College community to further these efforts.”
Within the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, Reader is a core member of the Guided Pathways leadership team and is chair of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion council. He is also co-chair of the statewide Administrators of Color Leadership Program.
Prior to Renton Technical College, he worked at Bellevue College as Director of Multicultural Services, serving underrepresented populations. While there, he taught education equity courses to tenure track faculty as well as courses in sociology and creative writing.
A Highline College alum, Reader began his 15-year career in higher education as a WorkFirst advisor within Highline’s Women’s Programs. Later he would go on to serve as the Inter-Cultural Center coordinator, where he was instrumental in developing and implementing the center’s programming from 2005 to 2011.
“I’m excited about returning to Highline,” Reader said. “I am honored the campus has chosen me and feel a great sense of responsibility to serve the division, the students, and the campus community. Highline is an amazing campus with strong values and a clear mission to enable our students to be successful. I am eager to be a part of this work.”
Reader will serve as one of Highline’s four vice presidents.
A resident of Renton, Reader enjoys spending time with his family and friends, supporting the social justice movement and supporting social justice events and activities, watching movies, doing HIIT workouts and being a #girldad.
Reader holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Argosy University, a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Saint Augustine’s College and an associate degree from Highline College.
