Pendakur is the Chief Learning Officer and Director of the USC Equity Institutes at the USC Race and Equity Center. In this role, Pendakur leads three of the Center’s signature activities, all of which focus on advancing racial justice in higher education and other sectors. A sought after consultant, speaker, and facilitator, Pendakur is known for her ability to help campuses, non-profits, and other organizations build capacity for cultural competence, social justice, and equitable practices. A scholar-practitioner, whose research interests include Critical Race Theory, Asian American and Pacific Islander students, change agents, and institutional transformation, Pendakur was the Assistant Vice-President for Diversity and Inclusion at Harvey Mudd College prior to her return to USC. Prior to Harvey Mudd College, she spent 7.5 years at the University of Southern California, where she served as the director for Asian Pacific American Student Services. A graduate of Northwestern University, she holds a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Michigan and received her doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from the USC Rossier School of Education.
