Teresa Rich has been named the seventeenth president of Yakima Valley College in Yakima, Washington. She has led the college on an interim basis since August 2024.
According to the most recent federal data, Yakima Valley College enrolls about 3,800 students. Women represent over two-thirds of the college’s student body.
Dr. Rich has been affiliated with Yakima Valley College for 24 years, including 18 years as vice president for administrative services. In fall 2025, under Dr. Rich’s leadership as interim president, the college experienced its highest enrollment since 2019 and surpassed the 1,000-student mark for enrollment in Running Start, which allows high school juniors and seniors to earn college credit tuition-free. Dr. Rich also established several partnerships with other educational institutions, created new academic programs, and received federal grants for student support services.
Outside of her work with Yakima Valley College, Dr. Rich is a member of the Washington Community and Technical College Strategic Technology Advisory Committee, as well as the Association of Government Accountants and Rotary International. She also serves on the board for Apprisen, a national nonprofit organization focusing on consumer credit counseling.
Dr. Rich is a graduate of Central Washington University, where she received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in accounting. She holds a Ph.D. in education with a focus on community college leadership from Oregon State University.