Ryan Liu is an attorney, higher education advocate, and governing board member on the Pasadena Area Community College District Board of Trustees. He represents Trustee Area 6, which includes portions of Rosemead, San Gabriel, El Monte, Temple City, and Arcadia. 

Ryan’s passion for higher education access began when he started at PCC as a low-income, first-generation college student. Like many San Gabriel Valley residents, Ryan’s family immigrated to America to pursue a brighter future. His mother escaped the Cambodian genocide as a refugee and his father immigrated from Argentina. To afford college, Ryan enrolled at PCC.

While at PCC, Ryan worked multiple jobs to support his family, got involved as a community organizer, and represented his classmates on the student government. After graduating from PCC as valedictorian, Ryan earned his bachelor’s from Yale College, his Master of Science in Higher Education from the University of Oxford, and his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School, where he represented veterans in litigation through Yale’s Veterans Legal Services Clinic.

Because of how community college changed his life, Ryan has become a tireless advocate for accessible higher education. Nationally, Ryan’s worked as a policy fellow on the College Promise Campaign, which pushes to keep community colleges affordable. He also served on the Education Policy Committee of Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, where he advised on higher education policy priorities. Ryan’s writings have been featured in national publications and he regularly gives talks on higher education access. Ryan’s work also expands internationally. At the University of Oxford, Ryan researched higher education programs for adult learners in the United Kingdom and evaluated comparative higher education systems.

But Ryan’s heart has always remained with PCC. Prior to serving as a Trustee, Ryan was actively involved with PCC for over a decade. Ryan collaborated with counselors from local public high schools to increase matriculation to PCC, mentored students through PCC’s Transfer Center, and served on the board of PCC’s Asian American & Pacific Islander Advisory Committee. He also worked as the Deputy Campaign Manager on PCC’s successful $565 million bond initiative in 2022.

Ryan’s work with PCC is now continuing in the capacity of serving on the Board of Trustees. Ryan is excited to continue giving back to PCC because of how much PCC has given him and his family. Ryan’s younger brother also graduated from PCC and Ryan’s partner teaches as an adjunct professor at multiple community colleges, including PCC.