Naomi Okumura Story
Professor Emerita, Mesa Community College
Mesa, Arizona
Academic Degrees
Bachelor of Arts in English/Creative Writing, 1972
Coe College, Cedar Rapids, IA.
Master of Arts Instructional Media, 1978
Arizona State University
Doctorate of Philosopy in Educational Technology: Instructional Design, 1984
Dissertation Research: Factors Influencing Continuing Motivation
Arizona State University
Professional Experience
- Faculty Core and Site Lead, Mesa Counts on College, a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded Initiative with City of Mesa, Mesa Community College, and Mesa Public Schools (special assignment requested by MCC President)
September 2010-February 2014 - Special Assistant to the Chancellor on Strategic Initiatives (Chancellor’s request)
Mesa Community College, Mesa, AZ
August 2007–2009 - Faculty Director, Center for Teaching/Learning
Mesa Community College, Mesa, AZ
September 1999–2010 - District Director, Learning, Instruction, and Assessment
Maricopa Community Colleges, District Office, Phoenix, AZ
August 1990–September 1999 - Adjunct Faculty
Rio Salado College, Northern Arizona
Fall 2002–2006 - Instructional Designer
Maricopa Community Colleges, District Office, Phoenix, AZ
May 1984–1990 - Instructor and Faculty Associate
Department of Educational Technology, Arizona State University
1981–84, 1987 - Research Associate
Department of Educational Technology, Arizona State University
1982-84 - Media Specialist
Cook Christian Training School, Tempe, Arizona
1981-1983 - Teacher and Department Chair (English)
Maui High School, Kahului, Hawaii
1973-1977,1978 -1980
Professional Affiliations
- Served as Program evaluation coordinator for NSF Foundations Coalition Program with Arizona State University, Mesa Community College, Glendale Community College
- Problem-based Learning: FIPSE project with GateWay Community College served as Program development consultant and program evaluation coordinator
- Directed and monitored work of NSF-funded Maricopa Mathematics Consortium Project director and staff development/workshop liaison activities and operations.
- Organized, implemented and co-authored major NSF and FIPSE Grant Proposals for Mathematics Curriculum Reform, Evaluation Models for Technology Infusion, and Advanced
Technological Education - Mesa Community College’s Faculty Curriculum Developer and Representative to the Maricopa District Curriculum Committee and Member of the Student Outcomes Committee, Results Outreach Committee, and NCA Self-study Co-chair for Criterion 3: Teaching and Learning Effectiveness
- Developed a model for high school to college concurrent enrollment and retention program (ACE: Achieving a College Education) for at-risk and disadvantaged student populations, which has been in place since the mid-1980s with the Maricopa Community Colleges and local high schools. The model has been nationally recognized as a successful program for college access and completion
- Developed and led the Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction and Mesa Community College’s Center for Teaching and Learning: professional and organizational development and leadership centers for college faculty and academic leaders
- As MCC College Lead and Site Lead co-developed focused on college completion through community partnerships. This included designing a place-based college access center with the City of Mesa, college and career preparation seminars with faculty and teachers at MCC and Mesa Public School, online system for high school to college programs and curriculum, student retention program activities with community and business partners
- Collaborated with numerous faculty members and administrators from Arizona State University, University of Arizona, and several of the member colleges of the League for Innovation on project development and program evaluation activities
- Serves as current Executive Director (part-time) of the National Asian Pacific Islander Council, an affiliated council of the American Association for Community Colleges