Dr. Berry will Participate in Fellowship Preparing Next Generation of Presidents to Improve Student Outcomes

Prescott, Arizona — The Aspen Institute announced on May 27 that Yavapai College Provost and Vice President of Student Affairs Doug Berry, Ph.D., has been selected as one of 40 outstanding leaders from across the country for the 2026–27 Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship. The 40 executive and senior community college leaders were chosen from a competitive pool of more than 125 applicants for their potential to enact major reforms that deliver much stronger results for students.

“I am honored to be selected by the Aspen Institute to participate in the fellowship program that will help further advance the high-quality education and services we provide to our students at Yavapai College,” Dr. Berry said. “Yavapai College is the premier community college in Arizona, known for our innovation in the certificates and degree programs we offer, as well as the services we provide to our students.”

Rising Presidents Fellows are chosen based on their commitment to improving student success and advancing economic mobility, their readiness to lead major student-success reforms, and the likelihood that they will assume a college presidency within five years of completing the program. The selected fellows come from 20 states and a wide range of institutions — from small rural colleges to large urban campuses — bringing diverse perspectives and experiences to the fellowship.

“Dr. Berry is a perfect selection for this year’s Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship program because, since joining Yavapai College in 2023, he has worked on several innovative changes—such as the launch of the 92-credit optimized bachelor’s degrees—that have improved the quality of education and opportunities we provide to our students,” said Lisa Rhine, Ph.D., Yavapai College President, who was part of the inaugural Rising Presidents Fellowship class in 2016.  

In 2021, Gov. Doug Ducey authorized Arizona’s community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees, and Yavapai College became the first rural community college in the state to offer those degrees. Yavapai College currently offers bachelor’s degrees in nursing, computer science, and business, including a fully optimized three-year Bachelor of Applied Science in Business — the first program of its kind in the nation. Beginning in the fall 2026 semester, Yavapai College will launch a Bachelor of Design in Visual Design and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Public Safety Administration.+

Prior to joining the leadership team at Yavapai College, Dr. Berry served as the Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences in the Maricopa County Community College District. He previously served at Paradise Valley Community College as Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs, where he was responsible for planning, directing, evaluating, and providing oversight of the college’s Academic Affairs division. 

Dr. Berry holds a Ph.D. in General Psychology, with a research emphasis in Emotional Intelligence and Team Cohesion, from Capella University; a Master of Arts in Sports and Exercise Psychology from Argosy University; and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Olivet Nazarene University.

The Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship is a year-long executive leadership experience that brings together a reform-minded group of up to 40 aspiring community college presidents. The program includes three residential sessions, mentoring from accomplished veteran presidents, and opportunities to apply learning from the seat of the presidency. Fellows join a vibrant network of more than 500 peers—including more than 215 sitting presidents—who are leading colleges that help more students finish college, transfer to four-year institutions, and secure good jobs.

The Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship is made possible through the generous support of the Burton Family Foundation, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, College Futures Foundation, Mellon Foundation, and the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research at NC State University.

Yavapai College operates seven campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County and offers over 100 degrees and certificates, six baccalaureate degrees, student and community services, and cultural events and activities. To learn more about Yavapai College, visit www.yc.edu.