Dr. Cynthia Olivo
Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Services | Pasadena City College
Thought Leaders - October 9
Conversation focus: How to build a culture in a campus community to focus on racial equity and change college practices to be more in line with what students need from us. You can find more details on the registration form.
Bio: Dr. Cynthia Olivo serves as the Vice President of Student Services at Pasadena City College (PCC). Initiatives include collaborating to create a large scale First Year Experience Pathways Program, PCC Complete Graduation Initiative, Student Equity leadership to transform teaching, hiring, and services to students. Dr. Olivo led the creation of a Veterans Resource Center and the LancerPantry, the QUEST Center for Queer + Undocumented Empowerment & Support to Thrive, and CORE (Communities Overcoming Recidivism through Education). She is currently leading these projects: Integrated Welcome Center, Foster Youth Center, and providing strategic vision in creating the Center for Student Equity & Professional Development.
Dr. Olivo served as the President of the Chief Student Services Officer Association in 2019-2020 and is the President of a new statewide association COLEGAS—California Community College Organizacion de Latinx Guidance, Empowerment & Advocacy for Success. She is a founding member of The Coalition, an organization including the African American Male Education Network & Development, the Association of Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education, and COLEGAS to address racial equity. In addition, Dr. Olivo is a member of the National Policy & Leadership Trust for Jobs for the Future and serves on the Executive Board for the National Community College Hispanic Council.
Dr. Olivo earned her BA in Psychology and a Master of Science in Counseling from California State University San Bernardino and earned her Ph.D. in Education with an emphasis in Urban Leadership from Claremont Graduate University in 2008. Dr. Olivo is the granddaughter of migrant farmworkers, daughter of an amazing single mom, first in her family to go to college, and third generation Chicana.