Closing Equity Gaps: Unveiling the Largest Ever Investment in Community College Research in San Diego and Imperial Counties with New Experts | |
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The San Diego & Imperial Center of Excellence (COE) is proud to welcome seven new research experts to the team. These researchers support Career Technical Education or Career Education (CTE/CE) at their assigned colleges.
As catalysts for change, their work involves examining program equity gaps and providing professional development in labor market information (LMI) and student outcomes data to community college faculty, staff and administrators. This initiative aims to enhance continuous improvement capacity at each of the region’s 10 colleges, supporting a culture of excellence and inclusivity.
Discover more about our new research experts below. Experts are introduced in alphabetical order by last name. Content has been edited for clarity and brevity.
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Hideaki Asto
San Diego City College
Tell us a little about you.
I bring a diverse background in research and psychology to my role as a CTE research expert. With a master's degree in Research Psychology and Data Analysis from Azusa Pacific Graduate University, I transitioned from my previous role as a research assistant at the San Diego Community College District to my current position. For the past four months I have been helping City College with the Counselor Institute, transitioning from Hyperion to Power BI, building dashboards on Power BI, and providing data open labs to help faculty understand the data we report and complete their grant applications.
Why did you go into research?
My journey into research stems from a passion for understanding human behavior and making a positive impact on individuals' lives.The combination of my background in psychology and hands-on experience as a therapist fueled my commitment to contributing valuable insights through research.
What do you enjoy about working in the community college system?
I'm finding real fulfillment in my role. It's great to apply the quantitative data skills I learned in my studies and experience that same sense of satisfaction from helping others, reminiscent of my time as a therapist. Working in an environment focused on students and learning is genuinely rewarding.
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Vicky Chhî
Southwestern College
Tell us a little about you.
As a CTE research expert at Southwestern College and a research assistant at the San Diego College of Continuing Education, I specialize in survey design, data analysis and impactful reporting. I earned a Master of Science in Interaction Design from Arizona State University and have made innovative contributions, such as the development of the transformative Student Equity Access Dashboard, which earned recognition as the 2023 San Diego College of Continuing Education People's Choice Innovator for pushing boundaries.
What do you enjoy about working in the community college system?
Over the past two years, I have immersed myself in the community college system and found it to be exceptionally rewarding. As a dedicated researcher, my collaborative efforts have not only enriched my expertise but also contributed significantly to groundbreaking research projects and the development of impactful data dashboards. The vibrant and diverse professional environment aligns seamlessly with my commitment to innovation, enabling me to make a positive impact on students and advocate for inclusive education.
What is your favorite thing(s) about living in our region?
San Diego has my heart! The warmth of its people, with their passion, kindness, and laid-back charm, feels like a constant pocket of sunshine. Despite the high expenses, I believe the priceless value of being surrounded by such genuinely good folks is worth every moment, making San Diego my chosen forever home.
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Edson A. Cuellar Deciga
San Diego Mesa College
Tell us a little about you.
I am a first gen Latinx college graduate from the University of California, Santa Barbara. I am the eldest of four and am originally from Santa Ana, Calif. Prior to my assignment as a CTE research expert, I worked at the San Diego Community College District Office as a research assistant for two years and as a research and data analyst intern for Direct Relief, a nonprofit organization that provides medicine and healthcare to people in need around the world.
What do you enjoy about working in the community college system?
Working in the community college system is tremendously rewarding; the sense of worth that I receive from the work I do is unmatched because the work I do goes on to effect decisions that, hopefully, help thousands of our students.
When not at work, what do you like to spend your time on?
When I am not at work, I like to keep my fitness up by going to the gym, running or playing volleyball. I enjoy going out with friends and making the most of my night as equally as being cooped up in my room and listening to music. I also really enjoy trying new food and discovering a good spot to watch the sunset.
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Michael A. Gracia
San Diego College of Continuing Education
Tell us a little about you.
I graduated from Point Loma Nazarene University in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, and received my master’s in Sociology in 2023 through Arizona State University. Between those years, I had the pleasure of working as a high school educator—teaching project-based learning, providing college counseling, and working as a tutor. Prior to my role as the CTE research expert for San Diego College of Continuing Education, I was a research assistant.
What do you enjoy about working in the community college system?
Working in the community college system has been a great opportunity to support students in their academic and career endeavors. Talking to our faculty and other researchers in the district has given me an appreciation for the care and consideration we have for the futures of our students in our region..
If you had $1M to invest in the region, what would you spend it on?
I would spend it on public transportation services. I’m becoming a nerd about city planning, and think our most valuable underused resource is our transit system. Improving it could benefit many students who utilitize public transit now, or may not be able to take courses at a campus due to some inefficiencies.
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Annie (Cong) Li
San Diego Miramar College
Tell us a little about you.
I graduated from UC San Diego with a bachelor’s in Psychology (and a minor in Biology) and earned a master's degree in Social Science (Psychology) from the University of Chicago. I have always been passionate about the education industry and have held several teaching assistant positions. Prior to entering the institutional research field, I worked in several academic research labs in my undergraduate and graduate careers and discovered I wanted to put my research skills to practical use in our local community here in the San Diego region.
What do you enjoy about working in the community college system?
I love how community colleges always put the needs of their students first and shape the institution around student satisfaction and success. Working at a community college allows you to see a great diversity of students from different backgrounds, and I learn every day about how the data we provide can help faculty and staff serve them better and take them to bigger and better places.
What is your favorite thing(s) about living in our region?
Among all the U.S. cities I have visited, San Diego is by far the favorite of mine. Ever since I moved here eight years ago, I fell in love with the culture and community. People are always friendly and welcoming, and the climate is great. You often see smiling people walking on the beach, dogs and children playing on the grass, couples having a nice picnic on a park bench—the sight of them fills my heart with joy.
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Marissa Y. Harmon
Imperial Valley College
Tell us a little about you.
After completing my graduate work in Public Administration from San Diego State University, I spent nearly 18 years working in the public sector as a strategic business officer and held a variety of analyst positions. I have worked in public health, finance, energy/power, water and utilities, and now in the wonderful world of research and education.
What do you enjoy about working in the community college system?
It is an honor to have the opportunity to work for the COE and Imperial Valley
College (IVC). As a young adult, IVC was the starting place of my educational journey in 1997 at 17 years old, which instilled a culture of confidence and hard work that shaped the person I am today. It is a privilege to join in working with those who are likewise supporting the education/educators of the next generation, as well as our adult generations looking to expand their scope of knowledge and education
What is your favorite thing about living in our region?
My favorite thing about living in Imperial Valley is the beautiful night sky! Living outside of town, away from the most city/town lights, the sky is beautiful and bright. Along with the ability to identify constellations, I can often watch desert lightning storms off to the east (off to the east towards the Yuma, Arizona area), which are completely mesmerizing.
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Sunny Xu
San Diego Community College District
Tell us a little about you.
I was born and raised in Hunan, China, and moved to the United States alone at 14 to pursue my education. I hold a Master of Public Policy and a dual degree in Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics and Bachelor of Arts in Economics–Public Policy from UC San Diego. With a diverse background that includes research roles at UC San Diego, the COE and the education policy department at the American Enterprise Institute think tank, I am dedicated to research on reducing educational inequalities and promoting social mobility through education.
What do you enjoy about working in the community college system?
Working in the community college system has led to significant personal and professional growth for me! I not only love the opportunity to conduct research that has a positive impact on our students, but I am also fortunate to be surrounded by incredibly talented and supportive colleagues.
When not at work, what do you like to spend your time on?
When not at work, I enjoy watching a variety of films and sharing my thoughts and ratings on them. Additionally, I'm deeply into yoga—I'm a Registered Yoga Teacher (200 training hours) with the Yoga Alliance! I also love cooking and looking for great food and coffee spots.
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ABOUT THE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE | |
The San Diego & Imperial COE supports the San Diego and Imperial Counties Community Colleges with data-informed program development and strategic planning. The COE is funded in part by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office through the Economic and Workforce Development Program and Strong Workforce Program. | |
 
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Tina Ngo Bartel
Executive Director
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Edward Matthews
Regional Institutional Research Lead
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John Edwards
Labor Market
Research Lead
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Robert Chu
Program Manager
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