Anna DiStefano, EdD, Fielding's Provost, serves as Chief Academic Officer and reports directly to the President of the university. Dr. DiStefano became Fielding’s Provost in 1996. She is also a member of the Accreditation Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Colleges and Universities (WASC), elected by Presidents of accredited institutions within the region.
As part of the Fielding community since 1983, she has served in several senior executive capacities including Vice President of Academic Planning & Program Development, and Dean, Human and Organization Development (HOD).
Her rich background enables her to serve Fielding in a wide variety of academic and administrative functions. She is responsible for the development, oversight, evaluation and improvement of all academic programs. She works to connect all members of the Fielding community to the mission and values of the university. Dr. DiStefano supervises Fielding’s Accreditation Liaison Officer to WASC. She is also responsible for the coordination of student services (marketing and admissions, advising, financial aid, registrar) and academic support services (research office, library services, events planning, academic tracking). She ensures the provision of technological capacity and services in support of the learning mission of the university. She serves as Fielding’s diversity champion.
In addition to her contributions to Fielding’s development over the years, Dr. DiStefano has specialized areas of interest in planning and leadership in higher education, especially distributed education; feminism; public schooling; moral development; and conflict resolution.
Her most recent publications include: a chapter in the second edition of Rudestam and Schoenholtz’ Handbook of Online Learning, co-editing a special issue of The American Behavioral Scientist titled "Researching Across Difference" and co-editing the Encyclopedia of Distributed Learning.