Dr. Mary Okada
President & CEO, Guam Community College
Dr. Mary Ann Young Okada became the first female president and chief executive officer of Guam Community College in June 2007. Prior to serving as GCC President/CEO, Dr. Okada held several financial positions within the college, including Vice President of Financial Affairs, Controller, and General Accounting Supervisor.
Dr. Okada’s leadership has led to Guam Community College being consistently commended by both the public and private sectors for its development and support of workforce education. She has overseen the addition of several new programs to the curriculum in response to community workforce needs, the construction of five new sustainable buildings, and the renovation of several other structures on campus. Her fiscal expertise has been instrumental in GCC having received, for 14 consecutive years, a qualified status as a low-‐risk auditee with no questionable costs or unresolved prior year audit finds.
Dr. Okada was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014 to serve on the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. She is also a member of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC); the Asian Pacific Association for Fiduciary Studies (APAFS); the American Association of University Women (AAUW); and the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT). Dr. Okada is the current chair of the Pacific Postsecondary Education Council (PPEC), and serves as Board Chairperson for the Pacific Islands branch of the non-‐profit organization WestCare. She also serves on the Guam Contractors Association Trades Academy Board and the Pacific Resources for Education and Learning Board. Through her membership in these organizations, Dr. Okada aggressively advocates the development and growth of career and technical education for Guam and Micronesia.
In addition to her career at GCC, Dr. Okada also briefly served as Comptroller for the Department of Education. Her private sector experience includes having served as finance manager for Pacific Western Enterprises, and in various financial positions with Payless Markets, Inc.
