About the President
President Britt Rios-Ellis leads Stanislaus State with a cariño-centered approach to advance student success, translation of cultural assets to educational outcomes and engagement with community and industry partners in building tomorrow’s leaders for the Central Valley and beyond.
With more than 35 years of experience in community health and student success, she has received extensive recognition for community-engaged scholarship, culturally grounded health equity initiatives, and the expansion of interprofessional education to serve the historically underrepresented. She has developed community health worker (CHW) programs and applied CHW efficacy in both public health and higher education settings to impact policy and practice.
Having spearheaded more than $60 million in funding from agencies including NIH, the U.S. Department of Education and the USDA, among others, her efforts have facilitated the empowerment of first-generation and underserved communities through collaborative, data-driven strategies in partnership with industry. While a professor at Cal State Long Beach, she founded the Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation and Leadership Training and the community-based Centro Salud es Cultura. She also served as the founding dean of the College of Health Sciences and Human Services at Cal State Monterey Bay, where she co-founded the first Physician Assistant Program in the CSU, before serving as provost and executive vice president at Oakland University. President Rios-Ellis served more than a decade as a special government employee for the NIH, CDC, HRSA and SAMHSA, and on hospital and community-based clinic boards.
With the pulse of possibility and the power of cariño, Stan State moves forward together, rising and thriving as a campus community dedicated to the transformative power of higher education under President Rios-Ellis’ leadership.
About the Hummingbird
Selected as a central symbol for the Investiture of President Britt Rios-Ellis, the hummingbird symbolically embodies many of the aspirations of Stanislaus State and our Central Valley community. In many cultures, the hummingbird represents determination, hope and the ability to find sweetness even amidst challenging journeys. Among many Native American communities throughout North and Central America, the hummingbird is revered as a Warrior — a fearless messenger of endurance and vitality. The hummingbird is small but mighty — representing a tireless pursuit of growth, joy and connection — much like the spirit of the students and families we serve.
President Rios-Ellis’s leadership calls us to build a collective future rooted in cultural pride, community impact and transformative justice. The hummingbird reflects that vision — agile, radiant and resilient — reminding us that through unity and purpose, we can defy limitations and rise together.
Updated: September 05, 2025