Cindy Riche

As a recognized leader in Information Technology for over 30 years, Cindy Riche brings a deep commitment to organizational processes that recognize diversity and promote inclusivity as well as a strong record in strategic leadership, business process management, teaching, and team building. Throughout her career, she has designed and led organizational change and growth initiatives, including creation of new IT units and redeployment of existing IT service units to improve teaching, learning, and administrative functions across campuses.

Riche was appointed the first-ever Chief Information Officer for Seattle Colleges in January 2018, and as part of this work has consolidated three separate College IT units into one integrated unit serving all Seattle Colleges.  Prior to her work with Seattle Colleges, she served in IT leadership roles for eight years at the University of Puget Sound, and prior to that 24 years at the University of Washington.  Riche is dedicated to the mission of higher education, and particularly to Seattle Colleges’ vision to transform lives and support student success through the promotion of equity, diversity, and inclusion, organizational excellence and partnerships to enrich our community.

Riche has presented at numerous professional gatherings, served on planning committees for regional and national Educause conferences, and currently serves as a member of the Information Technology Commission (ITC) under the authority of the Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges (WACTC).  Riche earned her doctorate in social welfare with emphases in organizational studies, research and teaching at the University of Washington, her master’s degree from the University of Washington, and her bachelor’s degree in psychology and communication from the University of Puget Sound.