Data and Tools Advisory Board Members

Tina Cheuk is a tenured associate professor of elementary science education at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She brings over 20 years of experience in education, beginning as a public school teacher in New York City and later serving as a Peace Corps education volunteer in Ghana. Her career spans research on science and language learning, serving on state and national advisory boards, and leadership of federally funded initiatives to strengthen teacher preparation. She also advances research, policies, and practices aimed at improving outcomes for student parents in higher education. Cheuk earned her B.S. in chemistry and biochemistry from the University of Chicago and her M.A. and Ph.D in Education Policy from Stanford University.

Ritu Khanna is the Chief of Research, Planning, and Assessment at San Francisco Unified School District, where she has served for 30 years, including 25 years in her current role. She holds a doctorate in education with a focus on statistics and measurement and has led efforts to promote data literacy and data use among educators, board members, and the broader community. Over the course of her career, she has contributed to numerous research-practice partnerships, taught research and educational statistics at the graduate level, and served on review boards for educational research awards.

Renay Sehgal Mehta is Vice President of the Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce, where she leads regional strategies connecting education and industry through workforce and economic development. She has advanced K-16 initiatives by developing career pathways with schools and colleges, implementing Talent Pipeline Management frameworks, and expanding access to high-demand fields such as healthcare and green energy. Renay has secured and managed over $1.8 million in funding to strengthen equitable pipelines from education to employment, including second-chance and justice-involved programs. Renay holds an MBA, a bachelor’s degree from UC Riverside, and certifications in Talent Pipeline Management from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Public Engagement from Pepperdine University, and Entrepreneurship Center Management. Her leadership has been recognized nationally, including honors as a Top 40 Under 40 Emerging Leader by ACCE and Woman of the Year by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez.

Daniel earned a PhD in Sociology from the University of California, Irvine and was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Chicano Studies Research Center at the University of California, Los Angeles prior to joining the LA City Youth Development Department. Daniel has over twelve years working on data and research projects that center youth, including undocumented students in California and, more recently, youth in the City of Los Angeles. As a researcher and data analyst, Daniel incorporates community voices and lived experiences to design and carry out projects – this includes mentoring Youth Development Department research fellows.

Myrtha Ortiz Villar is a leader in data strategy, educational support, and advocacy, with over a decade of experience serving underrepresented communities. Currently, they are the Senior Manager of Data Strategy and Insights at Students Rising Above, where she combines deep knowledge of the education landscape with hands-on expertise in program management, data collection, and impact evaluation. Myrtha has worked at multiple institutions, from K-12 to higher education, to develop and implement data-drive initiatives that effectively support students from first-generation and low-income backgrounds. Rooted in her upbringing in California’s immigrant rights movement and with a strong commitment to social justice and equity, Myrtha leverages research, data analysis, and program development skills to advocate for systemic change in education. She holds a B.A. from UC Berkeley in Geography and a Master’s in Education Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship from the Harvard School of Education.

Lauren Reed is the Director of Impact & Evaluation at Oakland Promise, a cradle-to-career non-profit organization that promotes postsecondary completion and economic mobility for underrepresented students from Oakland, CA. Dr. Reed is a researcher, evaluator, and educator with 16 years experience in community-based research with youth. She has a Joint PhD in Social Work and Developmental Psychology from the University of Michigan, trained as both a social work practitioner and researcher with expertise in positive youth development, youth participatory action research, school-based dating abuse prevention, and technology-based abuse. Previously, Dr. Reed was faculty at the Arizona State University School of Social work before transitioning to the nonprofit sector to lead evaluation research at Oakland Promise.

Cameron Schmidt-Temple is systems-minded education leader whose work bridges research, practice, and policy committed to advancing equity and transformative change across the education landscape. As a Senior Education Data & Policy Analyst for XQ Institute, he develops and implements organization-wide strategies that strengthen how institutions use evidence to drive systems-level impact. Previously, he served as a Project Policy Analyst at UC Berkeley’s Center for Educational Partnerships, where he advanced department-wide data initiatives supporting first-generation, low-income students of color in accessing and succeeding in higher education. He brings a multifaceted, practitioner-informed lens grounded in direct service experience. Rooted in his experience as a first-generation college graduate from Oakland, CA, Cameron is committed to disrupting systemic inequities and leveraging data and research to ensure educational organizations effectively serve marginalized communities. Cameron holds a B.A. in Psychology from UCLA and an M.Ed. in Higher Education Policy and Administration from UC Riverside.

Iulia Tarasova has served on many statewide committees and work groups. In her role as an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Analyst with the City of Roseville, she specializes in optimizing enterprise operations through the strategic implementation and management of advanced ERP systems. With a keen eye for detail and data, Ms. Tarasova excels in aligning cutting-edge ERP solutions with organizational needs to drive efficiency, growth, and informed decision-making. Her commitment to excellence extends beyond ERP systems to her dedication to student success; believing that meaningful internship experiences are foundational to building future leaders of California, Iulia draws on her extensive background, including her own impactful internships, to enhance career development initiatives. Through a strategic partnership with RJUHSD, Ms Tarasova has facilitated access to invaluable career opportunities for high school students, adeptly overseeing their placement into roles that offer practical experience aligned with their academic goals. By meticulously tracking and evaluating each placement, she ensures not only the immediate success of these internships but also their long-term influence on students' professional development and leadership potential.

Viviana Unda serves as the Director of Institutional Research & Planning at El Camino Community College District. As a higher education leader and research strategist with over 15 years of experience, she specializes in advancing institutional effectiveness through data-informed and equity-driven decision-making. She has driven strategy, led accreditation efforts, and built student-centered solutions that empower diverse populations across California’s K-12, community college, and university systems, as well as other U.S. institutions, and international contexts. She holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from UCLA, a Master’s and dual Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics, Spanish Literature, and Secondary Education from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, and she is a Fulbright Fellow and recipient of multiple fellowships.

John Watson, Ph.D., is Director of the Data and Impact Center of Excellence at the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE), guiding data systems and data science projects that support improving student outcomes. John's roles over the last 20 years include Data Scientist at SDCOE, Senior Director of IT and Analytics at Institute for Evidence-Based Change, a community college research organization operating the Cal-PASS program; Associate Professor of software engineering for National University; and a technical member of the executive team for two internet startup companies. John completed a bachelor’s degree at University of California San Diego in economics, a master’s degree focusing on human and artificial cognition at San Diego State University, and a joint Ph.D. in education from Claremont Graduate University and San Diego State University culminating in the California State Graduate Research Award for his work in detecting metacognitive awareness in elementary school students.

Winnie Yee is a PhD student in the School of Education at the University of California, Irvine. Her fields of research are postsecondary education policy and social mobility. Previously, she was a Research Associate at the Federal Reserve Bank at San Francisco, where she wrote about the overoptimism in Federal Open Market Committee forecasts and adjusting the unemployment rate during the COVID-19 pandemic in FRBSF Economic Letters. During her time at the Brookings Institution with the Hamilton Project, she worked on pieces related to COVID-19’s impact on the labor force participation rate for women and school enrollment for young adults. She completed her Masters in Public Policy with a Certificate in Research Methods at the University of Chicago in 2021.