Ana Mari Cauce

Ana Mari Cauce (born January 11, 1956) is an American psychologist and academic administrator, currently serving as the 33rd president of the University of Washington since October 2015.

Joining the University of Washington in 1986, Cauce previously served as the university's provost and executive vice president from 2011 to 2015, dean of the University of Washington College of Arts and Sciences from 2008 to 2011, executive vice provost from 2005 to 2008, chair of the department of psychology from 2002 to 2005, and director of the honor program from 2000 to 2002.

Early life and education
Cauce was born in Havana, Cuba, to Vicente Cauce, minister of education under Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista, and Ana Cauce (née Vivanco). When she was three years old, her family, including her brother César, fled the island during the Cuban revolution. She grew up in Miami, Florida, where her father, who held a PhD, worked first as a custodian. Eventually both parents worked in a shoe factory.

Cauce received a Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, with a major in English from the University of Miami in 1977. She received a Master of Science in 1979, a Master of Philosophy in 1982, and a Doctor of Philosophy in 1984, all in psychology from Yale University.

Her doctoral studies concentrated on child clinical and community psychology. While at Yale, she studied with Edmund W. Gordon.

Career
Cauce began her teaching career as a lecturer at the University of Delaware. In 1986, she moved to Seattle to work as an associate professor at the University of Washington, where she gained tenure in 1990. In 1996 she was named chair of the American Ethnic Studies department. Cauce then was appointed the Director of the Honors Program. She later became Dean of the University of Washington College of Arts and Sciences.

In 2007, Cauce helped launch The Husky Promise, a tuition-funding program at the university.

In 2012, she became Provost of the University of Washington.

On October 13, 2015, Cauce was appointed president of the University of Washington by its Board of Regents. She had served as interim president since March 2015, when her predecessor Michael Young announced his departure. She is the first permanent female president and the person of Hispanic ethnicity to hold the position. In 2017, the university settled a public records lawsuit related to the selection of Cauce.

Cauce was elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2020.

Personal life
Cauce is married to Susan Joslyn, her partner since 1989. Both are professors of the Psychology department at the University of Washington.

Selected publications