Dr. Linda Umbdenstock

Dr. Linda Umbdenstock's professional career in education spans nearly 40 years, primarily in community college research and planning, as well as teaching and research for K-12 and a postgraduate medical school.

Her association with the RP Group, which she helped institute, began with its predecessor, the Southern California Community College Institutional Research Association (SCCCIRA), where she provided leadership in innovations in classroom assessment research, college effectiveness, and data systems to support research and decision-making.

A past president of the RP Group, Dr. Umbdenstock was a co-initiator of the Planning Guides, the California Assessment Initiative, the Student Learning Outcomes Coordinators network project, and the Strengthening Student Success Conferences.

She also served as the Executive Director of Hewlett Leaders in Student Success. Guided by her values regarding equity, learning, collaboration, and a systems/networks approach including multi-perspectives for decision-making, Dr. Umbdenstock has contributed not only to a variety of state commissions, but also gave over 100 presentations and workshops to community groups and regional, state, national, and international conferences. She was elected an inaugural member of the Alverno College Vanguard Society for her accomplishments and received the Lifetime Achievement POWER Award for outstanding contribution to the field of student learning outcomes assessment.