Lilia Tanakeyowma, EdD

Lilia Tanakeyowma, Ed.D., is an education consultant specializing in parent

engagement, intersegmental collaboration, and program evaluation planning. Originally from Cuba, she immigrated to the United States at age 12 and built a distinguished career spanning elementary, secondary, and higher education. She began as an elementary school teacher in a large urban district in Southern California and later expanded her impact through bilingual teacher training, curriculum development, and leadership roles advancing student success across the K–16 educational pipeline.

​

Throughout her career, Dr. Tanakeyowma has advanced educational partnerships and student success initiatives. She led one of the nation’s earliest federally funded GEAR UP partnership projects, directed successful TRIO programs, and served as co-director of the Santa Ana Partnership, a long-standing and nationally recognized K–16 collaboration. Her work has consistently emphasized empowering families as essential partners in supporting students from the earliest grades through college completion.

​

Dr. Tanakeyowma retired as Dean of Students from Santa Ana College, one of

California’s oldest community colleges, after a career marked by service, leadership,

and advocacy. She continues to support educational institutions and diverse

communities through consulting focused on equity-centered K–16 collaborations, family leadership development, participatory action research, and evaluation planning that informs strategic improvement.

​

In addition, Lilia is a founding member of the HealthCare Foundation for Orange County and continues to serve in a leadership role on its Board of Directors.

​

​

​

​