Manya Whitaker

Dr. Manya Whitaker is the 15th President of Colorado College, appointed in July 2024 after serving as Interim President and Executive Vice President. As a Professor of Education, her academic work focuses on adolescent identity formation, equity in education, and culturally responsive pedagogy. She holds a Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from Vanderbilt University and a B.A. from Dartmouth College. Her leadership roles include Director of the Crown Faculty Center and Chair of the Education Department. Whitaker has authored four books, including Schooling Multicultural Teachers and Counternarratives from Women of Color Academics, and contributed to over 20 scholarly works. Her research emphasizes urban education, teacher training, and systemic educational equity. She also founded Blueprint Educational Strategies to advocate for marginalized learners and support educators in underserved communities.

Her professional trajectory includes administrative leadership at CC, where she advanced antiracism initiatives and secured key institutional milestones like Carnegie’s Research Colleges distinction. Whitaker’s academic expertise and administrative achievements reflect a dual commitment to transformative education and institutional stewardship.