Vajra M. Watson Ph.D.
About Dr. Vajra M. Watson
Dr. Vajra M. Watson is a nationally respected educator, scholar, and equity advocate whose work has shaped policy and practice at the intersection of education and social justice. As Dean of the School of Education, she will lead efforts to grow enrollment in priority areas and to reimagine program delivery in partnership with faculty and staff.
She previously served as the inaugural Senior Associate Vice President of the Placer campus at Sacramento State University, where she led academic planning, fostered cross-sector collaboration, and advanced public-private partnerships. Her impactful work has earned her numerous honors, including the Congressional Woman of the Year Award, the NBA Sacramento Kings Woman of Inspiration Award, and the Social Justice Leadership Award from the American Educational Research Association.
She earned her B.A. from UC Berkeley, holds two master’s degrees from Harvard University in International Education and Teaching and Learning, and completed her Doctorate in Administration, Planning, and Social Policy at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education.