Dear Colleagues, 

As we begin the academic year, I want to share some important leadership updates. Our priority remains in maintaining consistent leadership to support our staff, faculty, and students through this time of transition. 

Due to the current hiring freeze, the permanent Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Enrollment and Access positions will remain unfilled and frozen for this fiscal year. To ensure stability and continuity: 

• Ryan Aiello will continue in his role as Vice President of Student Affairs and serve as Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs through the academic year. This arrangement will be reevaluated in the spring. Ryan is eager to continue focusing on strategic priorities and supporting our teams in this dual role, with the goal of advancing student success and completion. 
• Belle Lamb will serve as Acting Dean of Enrollment and Access for the academic year, with this arrangement also up for reevaluation in the spring. Belle will continue leading our Guided Pathways work and will also oversee Enrollment Services, Financial Aid, Advising, and Running Start.  
• Ryan will also continue to receive additional Academic Affairs support from Shanon Ehmke-Reedy, Dean of Communications and Social Sciences, and Lucas Rucks, Associate Vice President of Business Programs and Strategic Partnerships. 

These interim assignments demonstrate our commitment to stability during these challenging times, and to keeping students at the center of our work, while also providing consistent support for faculty and staff. Their leadership, along with your continued care and collaboration will help us better serve our students throughout the year. 

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. 

Best,

Jack

Jack S. Kahn Ph.D.
President
Shoreline Community College

Shoreline Community College is pleased to welcome Tsai-En Cheng as the new Dean of Career and Technical Education (CTE) in STEM, bringing over 20 years of leadership experience in higher education, workforce development, and cross-sector partnerships. Tsai-En is known for her student-centered, equity-driven approach and her ability to build meaningful collaborations between education, industry, and community.  She will begin her new role at Shoreline on September 1, 2025. 

Most recently, Dean Cheng served as Dean of Branch Locations for Academic and Program Development and Interim Dean of Instruction for the Technology Division at Green River College, where she led a broad portfolio of credit and non-credit programs across multiple campuses, including three branch locations, Corporate and Community Continuing Education, the Washington Environmental Training Center (WETRC), and the Small Business Center. Her leadership helped grow industry-aligned programs in areas such as cybersecurity, aviation, software development, manufacturing, natural resources, and nursing, often in direct response to regional workforce needs. 

A first-generation college student and adult immigrant, Cheng draws from her own educational journey to champion access and innovation. She has led efforts to bridge English language learners into technical careers, developed teacher training programs in aerospace education in partnership with the University of Washington and the City of Kent, and co-created a community-driven Automotive Pathway with the Auburn School District. She has also served as a Economic Development Council member for the city of Maple Valley, a longstanding board member of the Continuing Education Council, a newly elected vice chair of the Baccalaureate Leadership Council, an advisory board member to the Seattle Universal Math Museum, and board member for Auburn Symphony Orchestra. 

“What excites me most about joining Shoreline is the opportunity to work alongside faculty, students, and community partners to strengthen the pathways between education and meaningful careers. CTE and STEM programs don’t just prepare students for jobs, they empower students to see what’s possible for their future. I’m honored to support that work.” 

Dean Cheng’s background spans ESL instruction, film and media, business etiquette, curriculum design, and faculty development, and she has led teacher training programs both domestically and internationally. She was also a key leader in Washington State’s Transparency in Learning and Teaching initiative and has over a decade of experience in program assessment and strategic planning. 

Outside of work, Tsai-En enjoys walking in the woods and traveling with her family, attending symphony performances, volunteering for disaster relief efforts, and building tiny homes for community outreach projects. 

Tsai-En will begin her role on September 1, 2025.  Orlando de Lange will continue to fill the interim Dean until July 31, 2025.  During August, Dean Dalila Paredes will be covering to bridge the transition.  We would like to take a moment to extend our heartfelt thanks to Orlando for doing such a wonderful job filling the interim role this past year.  He will return to his faculty role for Fall Quarter 2025.