Current Position and Past Experience
With more than 25 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Sunita “Sunny” Cooke is Superintendent and President of MiraCosta Community College District, where she promotes community colleges and workforce development at MiraCosta’s four campuses in North Coastal San Diego.

As an administrator, Dr. Cooke led state-wide efforts to diversify sector-based state workforce and economic strategies in Texas and California. Recently, she chaired the California Board of Governors Strong Workforce Taskforce, which led to 26 recommendations to ensure that community colleges engage with businesses and other partners to strengthen the state’s workforce development efforts. She is an experienced educator and administrator, with experience as a biology professor, director of a biotechnology institute, Dean of Sciences, Health and Wellness, and Associate Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development.

Prior to joining MiraCosta Community College, Dr. Cooke was the first female president of Grossmont College.

Education, Honors and Achievements
Sunita Cooke received her BS in Biology from American University and her Ph.D. from Georgetown University. She completed her postdoctoral research at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, before becoming a founding faculty member at Lone Star College-Montgomery (Houston).

Personal Details and Community Involvement
Dr. Cooke is active in San Diego County, and sits on the boards of several Chambers, the Workforce Investment Board, the Economic Development Corporation, and Biocom. She also serves on several national advisory boards, including the American Association of Community Colleges and the National Academy’s Board of Science Education.

Connect
You can connect with Sunny on Twitter @MiraCostaPrez.