- Year Published : 2023
- Month Published : January
BOULDER, Colo. – Dale Erquiaga has been appointed to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education by Gov. Steve Sisolak, representing Nevada.
Erquiaga, who currently serves as acting chancellor for the Nevada System of Higher Education, will become one of the 48 commissioners from the 15 Western states and the U.S. Pacific Territories and Freely Associated States. Together, the Commission guides WICHE’s direction and assures the Western Regional Education Compact is carried out for the benefit of the West – as it has done since 1953.
“WICHE’s role in increasing student access to higher education through the promotion of sound public policy, addressing workforce challenges, and various other collaborations across the West is one I am proud to contribute to as a Commissioner,” Erquiaga said.
In addition to his role with the Nevada System of Higher Education, Erquiaga previously served as the national president and CEO of Communities In Schools (CIS), the nation’s largest dropout prevention organization, as well as Nevada’s 27th superintendent of public instruction and chief strategy officer for Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval.
Erquiaga’s background also includes positions in government as executive director of government affairs, public policy, and strategic planning for the Clark County School District; director of the Nevada Department of Museums, Library & Arts; and chief deputy secretary of state. His private sector experience includes operating a consulting firm, as well as working as vice president and managing director with an advertising firm in Nevada and Arizona. Erquiaga is also an author and received the 2020 Basque Writing Contest sponsored by the University of Nevada, Reno, and Boise State University for his first novel, “Three Wives’ Tales.”
“The WICHE Commission performs at its best when it consists of unique and fresh perspectives,” WICHE President Demarée Michelau said. “I have no doubt that Dale Erquiaga’s experiences in a range of leadership, postsecondary education, and government positions will prove to be a great asset to WICHE.”
Erquiaga is the grandson of Spanish Basque immigrants and holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a master’s degree in leadership from Grand Canyon University.
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About WICHE
Since 1953, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education has been strengthening higher education, workforce development, and behavioral health throughout the region. By promoting innovation, cooperation, resource sharing, and sound public policy, WICHE strengthens higher education’s contributions to the region’s social, economic, and civic life. WICHE members include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai’i, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the U.S. Pacific Territories and Freely Associated States. Visit www.wiche.edu.
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