UA President Pitney appoints Interim UAA Chancellor Siemers to permanent role
March 6, 2026
University of Alaska (UA) President Pat Pitney announced on Wednesday, March 4 that she has appointed Interim University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Chancellor Dr. Cheryl Siemers to serve in the position permanently, effective March 8. Chancellor Siemers has served as interim since May 2025, and brings decades of post-secondary education experience to the role. Her deep understanding of UAA’s workforce programs and professional occupational certificates makes her the right person to lead UAA as a dual-mission university.
“Cheryl has been a steady hand at the wheel for UAA; her commitment to the institution, community partnership, leading enrollment growth, and enthusiastic support for UAA’s dual mission vocational and workforce training make her the ideal person to continue leading UA’s largest institution,”&Բ;President Pitney said. “She’s been embraced by the UAA community, and it’s clear that her continued leadership will provide critical institutional stability and forward momentum. Please join me in thanking her for her continued service, and congratulating her as the new permanent Chancellor of the University of Alaska Anchorage.”
President Pitney's decision to appoint Dr. Siemers as the permanent UAA Chancellor follows an extensive search process that concluded in October. While all finalists identified from that process were qualified, the overwhelming consensus from community and stakeholder feedback was that extending Chancellor Siemers’ appointment would provide needed certainty and consistency at the leadership level, and that she had broad support from the UAA community for the permanent position.
“The Board and I have the utmost confidence in Cheryl and her continued leadership of UAA,”&Բ;President Pitney said. “We look forward to seeing the momentum achieved thus far under her leadership continue long into the future.”
Dr. Siemers earned her Ph.D. in rhetoric and linguistics from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania and holds an M.A. in English from UAA. She joined UAA KPC in 2002, and served as adjunct and full-time faculty before becoming assistant director and later director. Dr. Siemers has launched initiatives aimed at better preparing students for success, broadening course delivery modes, and expanding access to post-secondary education in Alaska. Dr. Siemers has also served on numerous local and national education boards.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve our students, faculty, staff and university community,”&Բ;Chancellor Siemers said. “Stepping into the permanent role now offers the opportunity to extend continuity with a long-term strategic focus to ensure that the progress we’ve made together accelerates forward. I am deeply grateful for President Pitney and the Board’s confidence in me and for providing the opportunity to serve our students, community, and state.”