The CEOs of Metro and First 5 LA, along with leaders from Apple, Toyota, the entertainment industry, and philanthropic activism will keynote the six Commencement ceremonies for the CSUDH community on May 17 and 18.
The 2024 CSUDH Commencement keynote speakers:
As CEO of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), Stephanie Wiggins is the first woman—and first African American woman—to hold this position. Under her leadership, Metro has made significant investments in enhancing the transit customer experience, such as implementing the nation’s largest transit ambassador program and completing the $2.3 billion K Line and $1.9 billion Regional Connector.
Dr. Melanie Lundquist, LHD, is an activist philanthropist focused on improving public education, fighting climate change, making healthcare more accessible, and saving democracy. She and her husband Richard are two of California’s most significant philanthropists, having pledged more than $400 million over the last decade. The Lundquists are signatories of the Giving Pledge and have appeared five times on The Philanthropy 50, the annual list of America’s 50 most generous philanthropists.
Stacy Erb is the Director of Community Education Initiatives (CEI) at Apple, where she leads strategy and programs to demonstrate Apple’s commitment to valuing education as a fundamental human right. Erb has been a key contributor in sharping Apple’s Education Division since 1993, and throughout her leadership, CEI has evolved to include programs focused on coding, creativity, and community-connected learning, creating pathways and opportunities for diverse learners.
Karla Pleitéz Howell is president and CEO of First 5 LA, a nonprofit dedicated to building a future in which every child is born healthy and thrives in nurturing, safe, and loving communities. Howell has dedicated her career to ensuring young children and their families are prioritized, and she centers racial justice and equity in her work by advocating for resources to address structural inequities.
Film and theatre producer Allison Thomas is currently producing Broadway musicals based on the movies Dave and The Tale of Despereaux. She spent more than a decade of her career devoted to public policy and communications, and also formed a strategic communications firm focused on launching new technologies and companies. Thomas volunteers for Coming to the Table, a national organization seeking to heal the racial wounds of enslavement, and the Neighborhood Justice Project, a diversion program for first-time misdemeanor offenders in the L.A. City Attorney’s office.
Michael Medalla is responsible for the Toyota USA Foundation, a nonprofit public benefit corporation and private foundation that supports innovative, direct service STEM education programs. Medalla also serves as director of the CSUDH Philanthropic Foundation and will receive an honorary doctorate from the university in recognition of his service to the campus and role in transforming the lives of young people.
More than 4,000 graduates will receive their degrees at CSUDH’s Commencement ceremonies, which will take place at Dignity Health Sports Park Tennis Stadium, adjacent to the university’s campus in Carson. More details can be found on the CSUDH Commencement website.
