Christina Royal, EdD

Dr. Christina Royal is the President & CEO of Infinite Unlearning, LLC, a woman, BIPOC, and queer-owned executive coaching and consultancy service supporting senior leaders and their organizations. She is currently a member of the Board of Higher Education for the State of Massachusetts, chair of the board of the Western Mass Economic Development Council, and also a board member for the LGBTQ Leaders in Higher Education.

Previously, she was the fourth president of Holyoke Community College (HCC), and the first woman, first multi-racial, and first queer leader to lead this institution from 2017 to 2023. Dr. Royal has served in progressively responsible roles in both academic (community college and private four-year institutions) and corporate environments. In her presidency, she led the creation of the college’s first strategic plan, which prioritized equity by removing barriers for historically marginalized learners, including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, first-generation, adult learners, and students living in poverty. Dr. Royal established the President’s Student Emergency Fund, collaboratively transformed the institution’s shared governance model, launched El Centro to support Latinx students as a Hispanic Serving Institution, expanded mental health services, and secured the largest philanthropic gift to a community college in Massachusetts, among other notable accomplishments.

Dr. Royal earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and a Master of Arts degree in Educational Psychology, both from Marist College, and a Doctorate in Education with a specialization in instructional design from Capella University. She lives in Northampton with her wife, Karen, and their two dogs, Tia and Marlie.