Paula Checchi

Paula Checchi, Ph.D., currently serves as the Dean of STEM at Las Positas College since June 2024. Prior to this role, Paula worked at Sanford Burnham Prebys from July 2021 to June 2024, holding positions as Program Director for the Summer Program to Accelerate Regenerative Medicine Knowledge and Program Manager for Recruitment, Outreach & Achievement, where significant achievements included coauthoring a $509,000 grant and revamping graduate recruitment efforts leading to a remarkable increase in diversity among applicants. Paula has also been an Affiliate Professor of Biology at Marist College, contributing to initiatives in diversity and inclusion, and has received multiple NIH grants throughout an academic career that began with a postdoctoral fellowship at UC Davis. Educational qualifications include a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Cell and Developmental Biology from Emory University and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology with a minor in Studio Art from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.