Palo Alto University Appoints Erika R. Nash Cameron, Ph.D. Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

PALO ALTO, Calif., April 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Palo Alto University (PAU) is pleased to announce the appointment of Erika Nash Cameron, Ph.D., to the position of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, effective June 30, 2021. As provost, Dr. Cameron will be PAU's chief academic officer, supporting the implementation of the University's academic mission and providing curricular and administrative leadership. She will oversee multiple areas, including the academic departments, the library and educational technology services, admissions, and academic support functions. She will also be a key member of the university's leadership team.

"PAU is gaining an outstanding academic leader," said PAU President Maureen O'Connor. "Dr. Cameron brings to PAU an incisive, positive outlook, a deep understanding and record of scholarship and teaching, and strong leadership skills. Moreover, her commitment to social justice, cultural competency, and diversity are in line with PAU's mission and values. We could not ask for a better person to fill this important role and I know Erika will be instrumental in leading our academy to new heights."

Dr. Cameron comes to PAU from the University of San Diego where she has served in progressive administrative and leadership capacities since 2009. She earned her Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the University of Missouri, St. Louis. She holds a master's degree in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Hawaii and her bachelor's degree in graphic design from Bradley University where she was a Division I volleyball player. She has written and co-authored a book, book chapters, and articles on Multiculturalism and Social Justice in Counseling, Counselor Professional Development, and Individual Psychology. She was the 2020 recipient of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision's Counseling Vision and Innovation Award.

"I am deeply honored to be appointed to the position of Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs of Palo Alto University," said Dr. Cameron. "I was drawn to PAU by the extraordinary faculty and dedicated students, excellent academic programs, and the university's commitment to equity and inclusion. I look forward to working with all members of the university community to continue to provide students with the best education and training, and ensuring that PAU remains at the forefront in the fields of psychology and counseling."

Dr. Cameron's research interests have focused on multicultural counseling competence development of counselors through short-term study abroad. Dr. Cameron describes her scholarship as inherently and purposefully multidisciplinary in the fields of mental health counseling and therapy, consisting of three primary interrelated themes: multicultural competence, crisis and trauma, and professional development. Dr. Cameron regularly presents at state, regional, national, and international professional conferences and enjoys presenting with graduate students.

In her clinical work, Dr. Cameron has worked as a school, career, and mental health counselor with a variety of clients but specializes in work with children who have experienced trauma and utilizing expressive therapeutic interventions in school counseling. She is an active member of the American Counseling Association, the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, and the American School Counseling Association and is the past president of the Western Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors. 

Dr. Cameron will succeed Dr. Risa Dickson, who has served as Interim Provost since August 2018. Dr. Dickson has been instrumental in making essential improvements throughout the Academic Affairs Division, paving the way for a new provost.

"We are excited to welcome Dr. Cameron and her family to PAU and the community," said Dan Kostenbauder, Chair of PAU's Board of Trustees. "In a very strong pool of applicants, Dr. Cameron rose to the top as an incredibly talented scholar, practitioner, educator, and professor. Her passion, drive, unique innovative spirit, and strong ability to link community needs to the curriculum will be a tremendous asset to this institution."

About Palo Alto University
Palo Alto University (PAU), a private, non-profit university located in the heart of Northern California's Silicon Valley, is a community grounded in values of social justice and dedicated to addressing pressing and emerging issues in the fields of psychology and counseling that meet the needs of today's diverse society. PAU is committed to excellence in teaching and research and offers undergraduate and graduate programs with online, hybrid, and residential options. PAU was founded in 1975 as the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology and re-incorporated as Palo Alto University in August 2009. PAU is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). PAU's doctoral programs are accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and its master's in counseling programs by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

CONTACT
Rebecca Levy
Director, External Affairs
831-334-2698 | [email protected]

SOURCE Palo Alto University

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