Donnisha Lugo

Donnisha Lugo is a Sociology Professor at Cosumnes River College who has dedicated her career to education, mentorship, and creating opportunities for others. She began teaching in 2007 and transitioned into a full-time faculty role in 2013. Before entering higher education full time, she spent more than a decade working in Sacramento County as a social worker, supervisor, planner, and manager—experiences that continue to inform her commitment to understanding people, communities, and systems.

Beyond the classroom, Lugo is passionate about helping students and aspiring educators find their path into higher education. She co-facilitates a faculty diversity mentorship program, supporting individuals who hope to become professors, and also volunteers her time to mentor prospective faculty members outside of her formal responsibilities. Through interview preparation, professional guidance, and encouragement, she works to help emerging educators recognize their strengths and confidently pursue opportunities in academia.

Lugo’s approach to teaching and mentorship is deeply rooted in the values she learned from her mother, who became a mother as a teenager and demonstrated remarkable courage and perseverance. Her mother’s example shaped Lugo’s commitment to fairness, kindness, and lifting others up. To young women entering education, Lugo encourages the development of emotional intelligence alongside agency and confidence, emphasizing the importance of bringing their full, authentic selves into professional spaces. Her work reflects a belief that success is not only about opening doors, but also about helping others walk through them.