Randy Okamura, Vice President, Board of Trustees

San José/Evergreen Community College District Board of Trustees Vice President Randy Okamura brings experience in public policy development and implementation to the Board—important knowledge, skills, and talent honed during his 20-plus year career specializing in business and organizational development and finance administration. For nearly 12 years, Randy has provided his expertise to his current employer AT&T, and has worked hand-in-hand with government officials, including playing a role in AT&T’s implementation of 1996’s Telecommunications Act. He is also an integral part of AT&T’s community outreach team, and in this capacity, has worked with numerous elected and appointed public officials and their staffs, from local levels of government all the way to the White House.

Mr. Okamura is an active member of our community, serving on many boards and advisory committees, including the Santa Clara Metro YMCA, the Asian American Pacific Leadership Institute (he also serves as a Senior Fellow for this organization), the Silicon Valley United Way Community Advisory Council, the Asian American Justice Center and Chambers of Commerce Government Relations Committees for the cities of Sunnyvale, Cupertino and Palo Alto. He was an active member of the Fremont Union High School District, elected to the Board of Trustees for eight years, and serving as Board president twice.

He also gives back to our community as an educator, teaching basic finance as a lecturer at San José State University, political science and government at Evergreen Valley College, and is now a member of the online faculty of the University of Phoenix, sharing his expertise as a professor of management (theory, practice and application), organizational behavior, corporate culture and organizational climate.

First elected to the SJECCD Board of Trustees in 2004, Mr. Okamura’s mission has consistently been to “continue the hard work of laying the foundation and fundamentals to allow both San José City and Evergreen Valley Colleges to become leading global education institutions that best meet the needs of our community.  This is achieved by supporting and developing our leadership team and our employees (faculty and staff) to become the best guardians of our future generations.”

Mr. Okamura earned his BA in economics and political science from the University of California, Los Angeles; his MBA in finance from San Diego State University; and holds a certificate of Management for Developing Entrepreneurs from the Anderson School of Management, UCLA.

Proud father to Akemi, a senior at the University of Puget Sound, majoring in Theater Arts, and Zachary, a freshman at Lynbrook High School (look for him playing the sousaphone as a member of Lynbrook’s marching band), Mr. Okamura does find time for outside interests. A voracious reader of anything in print (“I enjoy reading from the Web, newspapers, magazines, books, graffiti, even FDA labels!”) and consumer of performing arts, movies and television, Mr. Okamura also confesses to being a closet video gamer and brain teaser addict, including sudokus. He also enjoys “any sport that involves hitting or striking a ball,” including golf, tennis, volleyball and softball.

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