Dr. Colette L. Harris-Mathews

Focused on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, Dr. Harris-Mathews is the Principal Consultant for Harris Mathews Consulting, a communication, organizational development, leadership, and educational firm. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts Degree in Communication Studies from California State University Sacramento and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Argosy University, San Francisco. Her Master’s thesis explored the lived experiences of African Americans in the workplace and dissertation examined mentoring African American women in California Community Colleges.

Dr. Colette L. Harris-Mathews is an Emeriti California Community College Dean and Professor of Communication Studies with more than 20 years of experience in higher education as an Instructional Dean, Educational Leader, and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Practitioner. She held a variety of leadership positions, including Department Chair and Director for the Center For the Advancement of Staff and Student Learning, Accreditation Tri-Chair Lead, Guided Pathways Tri-Chair Administrative Lead and Founding Faculty Member for CRC’s Umoja Program. Dr. Harris Mathews was also a Lecturer at California State University Sacramento in both the Ethnic Studies and Communication Studies Departments teaching Freshmen Seminar and Introduction to Public Speaking, The Communication Experience, Group Discussion and Intercultural Communication. Dr. Harris Mathews taught Intercultural Communication and Persuasion at the University of London through Los Rios Study Abroad Program, Partner of the Northern CA Study Abroad Consortium and the American Institute for Foreign Study. Continuing her interest in studying education and culture in other countries, Dr. Harris Mathews lectured and studied at the University of Kigali and University of Ghana.

Dr. Harris-Mathews is a member of the Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA) and a Lifetime Alumni Member of California State University Sacramento. She currently serves as President Elect of the CSUS Alumni Board of Directors and Nominations Committee Chair. She also she served as Vice President of the Black Alumni Chapter for California State University Sacramento. Proudly elected by more than 10,000 colleagues, Colette formerly served as Region F Board of Governor for Faculty Association for California Community Colleges. She is actively involved in the Sacramento community championing education policy and African American student achievement. Dr. Harris-Mathews served as the Los Rios Community College District Interim President of the Black Faculty and Staff Association 2019-2020.

Prior to her career in higher education, Dr. Harris-Mathews was a District Manager for a staffing service for 10 years. Colette’s Talent Acquisition, Organizational Culture and Development background were the key to client and institutional successes early in her corporate career. She was promoted to Service Supervisor and the District Manager in little over a year due to her business innovations and ability to plan and move the needle on key performance indicators and measurable goals.

Her husband Roy Mathews is a licensed Minister who holds a Master of Arts in Theology and works as Deputy Director in workforce and economic development. They have four adult children: Alexandria Davis, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and works in Finance, Jordan Cole, who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies and works in the Media and Marketing field, Khari Mathews who is in Medical School, and Isaiah Mathews who is also finishing his degree in Communication Studies at Sac State. To their delight, they have one grandson, Elliott Jordan Davis, who was born in 2020.