President’s Message
President Dr. Frank Kobayashi Welcomes You
I want to personally welcome you to American River College (ARC). I am honored to serve as the Interim President of ARC and I thank you for your interest.
Our vision at ARC is to transform the future of all students and our community through inclusive, equitable education. Our mission is to place students first in providing an academically rich, inclusive environment that inspires critical thinking, learning and achievement, and responsible participation in the community. We serve the greater Sacramento region by offering education and support for students to strengthen basic skills, earn associate degrees and certificates, transfer to other colleges and universities, and achieve career as well as other academic and personal goals.
A vital part of who we are is our commitment to social justice and equity. We strive to uphold the dignity and humanity of every student and employee. We are committed to equity and social justice through equity-minded education, transformative leadership, and community engagement. We believe this commitment is essential to achieving our mission and enhancing our community.
Please take some time to check out the information and resources we have on our website. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to those departments or areas that are of interest to you.
Once again, thank you for your interest in ARC.
Dr. Frank Kobayashi,
President of American River College
Biographical Information
Dr. Frank Kobayashi began his service as American River College’s Interim President on December 17, 2022. Prior to that, Dr. Kobayashi was serving as ARC’s Vice President of Instruction.
Dr. Kobayashi has been with ARC since June 2013, when he was hired as the Natomas Center Dean. During his four-year tenure at Natomas, he also briefly served as the Interim Vice President of Instruction for three months and the Interim Associate Vice President (AVP) of Workforce Development for six months before being promoted to the permanent AVP of Workforce Development in December 2017.
After two years as AVP, Dr. Kobayashi was selected as the Interim Vice President of Instruction, during which time he provided exemplary leadership and oversight of the college’s instructional activities during the college’s most challenging time. Dr. Kobayashi became the permanent Vice President of Instruction in January 2021.
Prior to Los Rios, Dr. Kobayashi served as the Dean of Career Education and Workforce Development at West Valley College as well as oversight of the West Valley College Campbell Center and Program Manager for Business and Professional Training. Prior to his service at West Valley, Dr. Kobayashi was a founding partner and Vice President for College Media Solutions, a national multimedia firm, which provided streaming online financial aid video clips and customizable financial aid magazines.
Dr. Kobayashi holds an A.A. in Business Administration and an A.S. in Child Development from Santa Rosa Junior College, a B.S. in Human Development from University of California, Davis, an M.A. in Education Policy & Evaluation from Stanford University, and an Ed.D. in Education Leadership from University of California, Davis.