About me
Michelle Pilati is a Professor of Psychology at Rio Hondo College and a recognized leader in open education and online learning within the California Community Colleges system. She has served as faculty at Rio Hondo since 1999 and has extensive experience teaching in online and hybrid environments, contributing to the advancement of distance education statewide.Dr. Pilati has held numerous leadership roles, including Project Director for the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges Open Educational Resources Initiative, where she has guided statewide efforts to expand the adoption and effective use of open educational resources. She has also served as Chief Professional Development Officer for California’s Online Education Initiative and as a leader in curriculum, distance education, and faculty development.Her work focuses on improving student access and success through open, equitable, and technology-enhanced learning environments. At both the institutional and state levels, she has contributed to major initiatives in guided pathways, curriculum alignment, and online education quality. Through her leadership, she has helped shape policies and practices that support scalable, accessible, and innovative education across California’s community college system.
