Dr. Elaine Kuo

Dr. Elaine Kuo is the Director of Research and Planning at Foothill College. She leads evaluation and reporting efforts at the institutional and program levels, including processes related to strategic planning and improvement. Her focus on equity centers on increasing capacity to change institutional practices so student outcomes are not predictable by race. As a data educator, she directs a team in providing and disseminating data that are accessible and can inform current practices.

Dr. Kuo’s expertise as a higher education researcher spans over 25 years, having previously worked at UCLA’s Center for Educational Assessment, the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI), and the Center for the Study of Community Colleges (CSCC). She has served as Foothill College’s Accreditation Liaison Officer, and has experience in student services from her roles in admissions and student housing. As a program evaluator, she supported regionally and federally funded grant awards, such as the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Program.

Dr. Kuo was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and spent her formative years in Northern California (Oakland’s Chinatown and Silicon Valley). She received her PhD and MA in higher education and organizational change from the University of California, Los Angeles and her BSEd in organizational studies from Northwestern University.