Dr. Augusta M. Pickens, EdD is an accomplished academic professional with more than 30 years of leadership and management experience in recruitment/outreach, admissions, and comprehensive operations support at both public and private institutions. With a proven track record of success at the University of Southern California, Cal State Long Beach, and Pacific Oaks College, she has managed strategic programs that have served the diverse needs of a multi-abled and multi-cultural student body at these schools. She has managed budgets up to 900K and supervised staff in areas including Athletics, EOP&S, Disability services, and the popular Long Beach Promise program. She is known for her warm and positive attitude as well as her astute skills in encouraging her supervisees and staff to be the best they can be in their chosen career and academic journeys.

Dr. Pickens has a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration and a Master of Science in Education from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, as well as a certificate of Management of College Student Services from the same. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of West Los Angeles. Most recently, she has served as the Director of Student Services at California State University, Long Beach.