Shagun Kaur is a Communication Studies professor at De Anza College and a statewide leader advancing accessibility, affordability, and innovation across the California Community Colleges. With more than two decades in higher education and a background in journalism, she brings a systems-focused approach to expanding student access while supporting faculty-driven transformation in teaching and learning. At De Anza, Kaur serves as Vice President of the Academic Senate and leads large-scale Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) and Open Educational Resources (OER) initiatives. Through strategic grant leadership and coordinated faculty collaboration, she has secured over $1.6 million in funding and guided the development of multiple ZTC degree pathways, removing textbook costs for thousands of students while strengthening inclusive and accessible instructional practices. A central element of Kaur?s work is building sustainable infrastructure for complex academic initiatives. She designs project management frameworks that support multi-author textbook development, align faculty teams across disciplines, and ensure the timely delivery of accessible learning materials. To expand these practices, she developed a project management course that equips faculty leaders with practical strategies for coordinating collaborative instructional projects, managing timelines and deliverables, and sustaining innovation at scale. Her work also extends statewide through the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges Open Educational Resources Initiative, where she facilitates cross-college faculty teams producing dozens of open textbooks and ancillary materials while developing efficient workflows that accelerate development without compromising quality or accessibility. In recognition of her leadership and impact, Kaur was awarded the ASCCC Hayward Award for Excellence in Education, one of the California Community Colleges? highest honors for faculty achievement. Through her collaborative leadership and commitment to student access, she continues to shape how colleges approach open education, accessibility, and faculty-led innovation.