Speakers

Guest Commencement Speaker: Dr. Charlene Williams ’15

Charlene Williams EdD ’15 is the current Director of the Oregon Department of Education and Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction. She was appointed to the role by Governor Tina Kotek in 2023. Williams brings 30 years of experience in K-12 education, and is the first Black woman to serve in this role.

Prior to her appointment at the Department of Education, Williams spent seven years as an administrator in Southwest Washington public school districts, most recently as Deputy Superintendent at Evergreen Public Schools. Here, she supervised district leaders, led the development of the district’s five-year strategic plan, and launched a superintendent advisory committee.

Williams has also served as Assistant Superintendent for the Camas School District, the Senior Director of School Performance for Portland Public Schools, and Principal at Roosevelt High School in North Portland. She facilitated the adoption of the Camas School District’s first equity policy, established affinity groups for staff and students, and created community forums for Camas residents to discuss equity issues. This work earned her the Washington Association of School Administrators (WASA) Award for promoting access, equity, and social justice for students. Earlier in her career, Williams secured a $7.7 million investment to transform Roosevelt High School, and led a focused effort to accelerate graduation rates and close the graduation gap for students of color. With her leadership, Roosevelt went on to significantly improve graduation rates and student performance. She earned multiple state and national awards for improving student achievement.

Arriving in Oregon in 1999, Williams was a math instructor, program coordinator and curriculum developer at Portland Community College. She is also a proud Lewis & Clark alum, having earned her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership in 2015 from the Graduate School of Education and Counseling.

Student Commencement Speaker: Lilia Marina Ibarra ’26

Lilia Marina Ibarra (ella/she/her) Lilia Marina Ibarra (ella/she/her) is a graduate student in the School Psychology EdS program at Lewis & Clark’s Graduate School of Education and Counseling. Lilia’s pathway into school psychology was shaped from years of direct work with youth in clinical and school settings, where she witnessed the impact of injustice and the power of affirming support. Originally from Fresno, California, she moved to Portland in 2023 to pursue her passion for empowering youth and advancing equity in schools.

At Lewis & Clark, Lilia has embraced a community defined by inquiry, reflection, and justice. She has been an active contributor to the graduate community as a BIPOC Group student leader and collaborator on social justice initiatives. Lilia designed and compiled resources for the GSUN Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Challenge and helped facilitate meaningful community dialogues between students and faculty within the School Psychology program. Advocacy is not just part of her professional identity—it is central to who Lilia is.

When she is not immersed in coursework or community work, Lilia finds joy in creativity and nature. She enjoys spending time with her husband and cats, biking through forest trails, all types of arts and crafts, playing the piano, and singing at the top of her lungs in the car. Her heart feels most at home when she is immersed in the ocean.