Dr. Cheryl Siemers

Cheryl Siemers, Ph.D., serves as the chancellor for the University of Alaska Anchorage, bringing more than two decades of higher education leadership, instruction and community engagement.

Prior to this role, Siemers served as the director at Kenai Peninsula College (KPC), providing strategic oversight of the Kenai River Campus, Kachemak Bay Campus and the Resurrection Bay Extension Site. Her leadership at KPC focused on student success, enrollment growth and advancing UAA’s mission across the Kenai Peninsula.

Siemers began her career with UAA in 2002 as adjunct faculty at KPC, transitioning to a full-time position in 2006 in the Department of English. She holds a B.A. in English from Cedarville University, a master’s in English from UAA and a Ph.D. in rhetoric and linguistics from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Throughout her career, Siemers has championed equity in education, believing meeting students where they are is crucial in helping them create their own educational pathways. She played a key role in launching the Smart Start initiatives, which supports underprepared students into college-level courses, helping to expand it online, making it more accessible. Additionally, Siemers developed and enhanced dual-credit and Middle College opportunities in collaboration with statewide partners, helping to bridge the gap between high school and higher education and increasing student workforce development opportunities.

A longtime Alaskan, Siemers is deeply committed to the communities she serves. Throughout her career, her work has emphasized community engagement and partnerships, multidisciplinary service learning and place-based education, reflecting her belief that education is transformative in the classroom and beyond.