Beth Lesen, Ph.D.

Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management

California State University, Long Beach

Beth Lesen, Ph.D., is Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at California State University, Long Beach, where she serves on the President’s Cabinet and oversees a division of more than 30 programs serving a student body primarily comprised of first-generation college attendees and Pell Grant-eligible students. Her division was recently recognized as a 2026 Most Promising Place to Work in Student Affairs by ACPA and The EDU Ledger. A licensed psychologist, executive coach, and consultant with over 25 years of progressive leadership, Dr. Lesen is also the principal coach and consultant for Ascendra Leadership.

Lesen previously served as Associate Vice President and Dean of Students at Sacramento State and held leadership roles within the CUNY system for over a decade. At CSULB, she turned around a struggling division and brought it to national recognition, grew divisional fundraising from $750,000 to $8 million annually, and pioneered an “Embedded Care Design” model that reimagines how campuses deliver mental health support. At Sacramento State, she led the doubling of the campus housing program, originated an award-winning Basic Needs program, and implemented an advising model that contributed to a 127% increase in four-year graduation rates.

Dr. Lesen currently serves as a Trustee on the board of the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE), on the NASPA Region VI Board, and on the American Council on Education’s Women’s Leadership Network board for Southern California. She is a Long Beach City Commissioner, a recipient of the Harold E. Cheatham Innovative Practice Award from ACPA and the Scott Goodnight Award for Outstanding Performance as a Vice President from NASPA. Dr. Lesen has contributed chapters to eleven books and is currently completing a book on career development for higher education professionals. She earned her Ph.D. in psychology and a master’s degree in education.