By Cynthia Hubert

January 13, 2025

Erika Cameron, who served for the past three years as provost at Palo Alto University, has been appointed Sacramento State’s new provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs.

Cameron will assume her new post in March, succeeding Carlos Nevarez, who has been interim provost for the past three years. Upon Cameron’s arrival, Nevarez will become interim vice president for Research and Innovation, a new administrative position at the University that will support research, creative endeavors and economic development.

“Dr. Cameron is an accomplished academic leader with a proven track record of advancing academic excellence, supporting faculty development and fostering inclusive educational environments,” Sac State President Luke Wood wrote in a message to the campus community announcing her appointment.

Since 2021, Cameron has served as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Palo Alto University (PAU), a private institution in the Bay Area focusing on behavioral health disciplines including counseling, psychology and social work.

Under her leadership, PAU achieved designations as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and Asian American and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution, two distinctions that Sac State also boasts. She led successful accreditation and faculty success initiatives and strengthened academic programs through comprehensive curriculum review processes, Wood said.

Cameron cited Sac State’s “unwavering commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging” as a key reason for her interest in the University.

“That commitment resonates strongly with my values as an academic leader,” she said.

“President Wood’s bold vision for advancing academic excellence while maintaining our student-centered focus makes this an incredibly exciting time to join Sac State.”

She also cited the University faculty’s dedication to innovative programs and emphasis on hands-on learning, both of which she said prepare students for an evolving workforce.

Prior to her arrival at PAU, Cameron served as department chair and associate professor of counseling at the University of San Diego.

A native of Honolulu, she earned an undergraduate degree in graphic design at Bradley University in Illinois while playing Division-I volleyball. She received her master’s degree in guidance and counseling from the University of Hawaii, Manoa, and her Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision from the University of Missouri, St. Louis.

Cameron’s research interests have focused on multicultural counseling, with an emphasis on mental health and therapy. She has worked as a school, career, and mental health counselor, specializing in treating children who have experienced trauma.

At Sac State, Cameron wants to help foster an environment “where innovative pedagogy and inclusive excellence thrive,” she said.

“By building on Sac State’s strong foundation of inclusive excellence and working closely with our dedicated deans and faculty, I believe we will continue to be a catalyst for innovation and transformation across the Sacramento region and beyond.”