Michelle Marks

Chancellor Michelle Marks is an innovator dedicated to making higher education equitable for the good of society. Since joining CU Denver in July 2020, Dr. Marks has led the university in a highly collaborative process to develop its 2030 Strategic Plan: Make Education Work for All. The plan outlines an evolved vision of a university that makes education work for all through equity, lifelong learning, world-class scholarship, innovation, and workplace culture. Progress on these goals so far includes expanding scholarships and other initiatives toward CU Denver’s pursuit of Hispanic-Serving Institution status, launching a new model of digital/computing education, and laying groundwork for a new engineering building that will fuel innovation in downtown Denver.Dr. Marks holds a PhD in industrial/organizational psychology from George Mason University. Along with her chancellor role, she is a tenured full professor in CU Denver’s Business School and is recognized nationally for her leadership. Most recently, she was named one of LinkedIn’s 2022 Top Voices in Education. Dr. Marks serves on the boards of the Association of Public & Land-grant Universities and the University Innovation Alliance, and on the executive committee for the board of the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities. Her Colorado board service includes the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, the Auraria Higher Education Center, the Colorado Business Roundtable, and the Denver Education Compact.