Sharon J. Washington, PhD

Sharon J. Washington, PhD, is the Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at Palo Alto University. Dr. Washington brings over three decades of experience in non-profit and higher education leadership, K-12 education, not-for-profit boards, and the arts. She is known for her commitment to fostering inclusive work and learning communities that advance equity and opportunity.

Dr. Washington has served as a trusted consultant to PAU leadership for over eight years, offering strategic guidance and support on a range of initiatives aimed at enhancing institutional effectiveness and advancing the University’s mission.

Prior to joining PAU as Interim Provost, Dr. Washington served as Interim Provost and Dean of the Faculty at Mills College in Oakland, California. During her tenure, she led the implementation of a new core curriculum, transitioned the College to the Carnegie credit system, negotiated a collective bargaining agreement for adjunct faculty, streamlined the curriculum to enhance access and flexibility, and launched new academic programs.

From 2008 to 2013, Dr. Washington served as Executive Director of the National Writing Project, a national professional learning network of nearly 200 university-based sites focused on improving writing instruction at all levels. Under her leadership, the organization secured over $105 million from federal, foundation, corporate, and individual donors.

A hallmark of Dr. Washington’s leadership is her dedication to developing cohesive teams and building leadership capacity at every level of an organization. She has held numerous leadership roles, including Provost and Professor of Education at Spelman College in Atlanta; Special Assistant to the President for Diversity Initiatives at Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina; and Interim Director of Faculty Equity Programs at the University of California Office of the President in Oakland.

Throughout her career, Dr. Washington has championed high-quality instruction and professional development for educators across the K-16 spectrum. As the Founding Director of Project SPIRIT at Springfield College in Massachusetts, she led efforts to increase student retention and graduation rates among Black and Latino/a pre-service teachers, established a teacher mentorship program, and developed a collaborative academic enrichment partnership with a community college, a large urban school district, and a local college to encourage high school students of color to pursue post-secondary education.

Her early career was rooted in experiential education, collaborating with classroom teachers to design hands-on learning experiences. Dr. Washington has served as a tenured faculty member at both Kent State University and Springfield College, and as a visiting faculty member at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont. She was also a Visiting Scholar in the Office of the President at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, focusing on higher education administration.

Dr. Washington holds a PhD in Education and a BS from The Ohio State University and an MA from Central Michigan University. Her scholarly work centers on social justice education, with recent writings addressing multicultural alliances and the challenges of teaching social justice topics.

Dr. Washington believes that leadership is a collective journey grounded in collaboration, shared responsibility, and the continual development of skills and perspectives. Her approach to leadership at PAU is deeply rooted in these values, guiding the University’s commitment to inclusive excellence and transformative education.

Residing in Oakland, California, with her spouse, Dr. Washington enjoys home improvement projects, ballroom dancing, and travel.