Cheryl Okumura

Year you became part of the HSH community: 2013

Current occupation: Professor at Occidental College

Areas of expertise: STEM, higher education

Why is service on a Board important to you?

I am interested in making sure that HSH has the financial resources, staffing and community support to continue to provide excellent academic and emotional preparation for students within a diverse community.

What drew you to HSH?

I was initially attracted to the loving environment provided by the faculty, staff and community when we were considering preschools for our first (and at the time only) child. Now having 3 children progress through HSH (including our oldest who has graduated), I can truly say that HSH truly prepares kids academically and emotionally to face their next steps academically and in life.

I have a PhD in Microbiology and teach at Occidental College, a primarily undergraduate liberal arts college in Los Angeles. Oxy is one of the most diverse small liberal arts colleges and specifically within STEM, we have focused a lot of effort on recruiting and retaining students from underrepresented backgrounds, including racial/ethnic groups, gender diverse, low-income and first-generation college students. I teach and advise students in Biology, Public Health and health professions (pre-med, dental, PA, nursing, veterinary, etc.). My experience with students in higher education provides me with a unique perspective on student preparation at the K-12 level.