Orquidea Largo

Orquidea Largo is associate vice chancellor for educational partnerships at University of California,  Merced and chief outreach officer. She has helped secure over $42 million in federal, state, and private grants “to provide student, school, and parent-centered services that ultimately result in students having the greatest number of postsecondary choices from the widest array of options upon graduation.” Under her leadership, UC Merced secured an $18 million collaborative grant that supports and funds K–16 initiatives in the Central Valley. She joined UC Merced in 2002 after working at the University of California Office of the President’s Office of Relations with Schools and Colleges. She is an active member of multiple P–20 regional collaboratives and K–16 regional grants in the San Joaquin Central Valley. She is a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum Great Valley Chapter XI and a member of the Cradle-to-Career Community Engagement Board. She served as chair of the University of California’s Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships P–20 Leadership Council, a member of UC’s K–12 Academic Preparation Leadership Council, and a member of the National Academic Assembly Council with the College Board. A native of the San Joaquin Central Valley, she earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from California State University, Fresno, and an EdD in educational and organizational leadership from the University of the Pacific.