Honolulu Community College’s Chancellor named Omidyar Fellow

Honolulu Community College
Contact:
Billie K T Lueder, (808) 845-9187
Communications and External Affairs, Chancellor's Office
Posted: Oct 18, 2013

Chancellor Erika L. Lacro
Chancellor Erika L. Lacro

This fall, Chancellor Erika L. Lacro, 41, will join a diverse group as one of 15 talented local leaders as the second cohort of Omidyar Fellows.

“It is an extreme honor to be selected as a Fellow. The opportunity will allow me to network and establish important relationships with other leaders in the state. The focus of the program is to create leadership that will work together to transform Hawai'i. Our higher education system will be key in that transformation,” shares Lacro. 

Over a 15-month period, Omidyar Fellows will participate in a rigorous program that is designed to build stronger leaders, more effective organizations, and cross-sector connections that are necessary to collectively affect community change. All program costs are covered for each participant. 

Lacro leads a team of 300 employees that serves approximately 4,500 credit students and 3,500 non-credit students. She administers the college’s $33 million operating budget and serves as the principal investigator on several grants including a $24.6 million Department of Labor grant.  A strong business background in private industry has facilitated Erika’s rapid rise to her current position in higher education. She holds a Ph.D from the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa in communication and information sciences.

Omidyar Fellows were selected through a rigorous application and selection process from a pool of nearly 100 applicants. Selection is based on candidates’ experience in both professional and community settings and their capacity and passion to be a leader for Hawai'i’s future. 

The Fellows program was started by philanthropist and eBay founder Pierre Omidyar to create transformative learning opportunities for emerging leaders in our community.