Dr. Sumun Pendakur, Ed.D., is the Chief Learning Officer and Director of the Equity Institutes at the USC Race and Equity Center.  Sumi leads three of the Center's signature activities, all of which focus on advancing racial justice in higher education and other sectors.  She is a scholar-practitioner, whose research interests include Critical Race Theory, Asian American and Pacific Islander students, change agents, and institutional transformation.  Previously Pendakur is a graduate of Northwestern University with a double major in Women's Studies and History and a Minor in Spanish.  She holds an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from the University of Michigan.  She received her doctorate in Higher Education Leadership from the USC Rossier School of Education.  Sumi served for the last 5 years as the Assistant Vice-President for Diversity and Inclusion at Harvey Mudd College.