Dr. Charles “Monty” Roessel is an educator, a catalyst for academic innovation, and higher education leader. In 2017, he became the 18th president of Diné College, spearheading its transformation from a two-year college into a four-year institution. As the first established tribal college, Diné College has served a predominantly Navajo student population for more than 51 years.

Under Dr, Roessel’s leadership, the college has established four new transdisciplinary schools, including the School of Diné Studies and Education; the School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math; the School of Arts, Humanities and English; and the School of Business and Social Science. He has helped launch trailblazing initiatives such as the Navajo Sovereignty Institute, the Navajo Cultural Arts Program, and taken steps toward establishing the first Navajo law school.