Meet the OIE Team

Terrance Cao (EdD '24), joined the OIE team in August 2024. Previously, Dr. Cao served as the Senior Certification Manager in the Education Division at the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) since December 2018. He managed assessment processes and program reviews for all 11 programs in the Education Division. He successfully led a reaccreditation cycle for the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing during this time. Dr. Cao has extensive and diverse experience in education, having also served as a Science Teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District and a New Student Advisor in the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He holds a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University and both a Masters of Education and Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from UCLA. Dr. Cao currently shares his expertise with students at GSEP by teaching Research Capstone courses. He has previously taught GSEP courses in Developing Teaching Methods and Instructional Design. In his spare time, he enjoys following his favorite sports teams, playing video games, and leading his bible study group for church.

Arturo Covarrubias-Paniagua joined the OIE in August 2021 as a research associate/institutional research analyst, and then became assistant director of institutional research in August 2023. Arturo brings a wealth of higher education experience, predominantly in admission-related analytics and operations management. Arturo served as an administrative support coordinator at California State University, San Bernardino, and as an enrollment systems analyst at Pitzer College. Arturo also has expertise in research methodology from his brief tenure as a research methods instructor and personnel analyst. A California State University, San Bernardino alumnus, Arturo earned his master's degree in industrial/organizational psychology in June 2020.

Yara Khraish Diab joined the OIE in March 2022 as coordinator of assessment. Yara earned her doctoral degree in English literature from Saint Louis University, where she focused her research on 18th-century literature. She holds a master's degree in English from the University of North Texas and received her Bachelor of Arts from Kenyon College where she double majored in English and Studio Art. Yara's extensive teaching experience in academia extends to her assessment-related work in the OIE. She is passionate about advocating for students, especially in their pursuit of academic excellence.

Yingying Hong (MPP '19, MDR '19) joined the OIE in 2017 as a graduate student researcher, and formally became an OIE staff member in 2020. Yingying has excelled throughout her tenure in the OIE, serving as the OIE's WSCUC accreditation assistant until 2021, and then research assistant/institutional research analyst until July 2023. In August 2023, Yingying became the OIE’s first-ever manager of research and analytics. Yingying’s expertise includes qualitative and mixed-methods research, data visualization (Tableau), and designing user-friendly/visually appealing data-related graphics.

Kailee Rogers ('16) began her assessment work as a student at Seaver College and joined the OIE in 2016 as coordinator of assessment. Kailee's expertise includes assessment methodologies, program reviews, annual assessment, ePortfolios, rubrics, and assessment-related reporting. In addition, Kailee oversees Pepperdine's assessment management software (Portfolium). In 2021, Kailee became the OIE's manager of assessment, and in 2023, the assistant director of assessment. Kailee is currently completing her master's degree in clinical psychology at Pepperdine's Graduate School of Education and Psychology.

Aram Zetlyan joined the OIE in February 2023 and brings a unique perspective and a passion for learning to his role as the office coordinator. Prior to his role in the OIE, Aram served as a career and guidance counselor assistant at Pierce College, where he developed a strong commitment to helping students succeed and navigate their academic and career paths. In addition to his passion for learning and branding, Aram brings a technological expertise to the OIE, and enjoys exploring the latest technology trends and incorporating design principles into his work. A University of California, Santa Barbara alumnus, Aram earned his bachelor's degree in cultural anthropology.