Her Story
About Frances
Frances Palu Latchison is a higher education operations professional specializing in AANHPI student achievement, Pacific Islander community advocacy, and education equity. She currently serves as Director of Operations for the California State University Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Student Achievement Program Central Office in Sacramento, California. In this role, she oversees funding and operations to support students across all 22 CSU campuses. With 12 years in higher education, her work is informed by her research on the underrepresentation of Pacific Islanders in leadership within the CSU system, which she is pursuing through her doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice at CSU East Bay. She earned her BA in Sociology with a minor in Political Science and a master's in Political Science from Sacramento State. A Navy veteran with 11 years of service, she attributes her success to her Polynesian background, family, ancestors, and the path she built after military service. She is actively involved with three nonprofit organizations in Sacramento and received the Changemaker Award in 2023 for her contributions to the community.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Frances
01What do you attribute your success to?
My success attributes to my ancestors, my Polynesian background, family, and the path built through military service into higher ed. Education was always forced but church and family supported it. I kind of had to build it for myself after joining the military.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Be your authentic self. Bring your true authentic self to a workplace, carry your cultural values, your ancestral intelligence into a workplace. Show your work ethic that's behind or within your culture. You're not a robot at work, bring your most authentic self and your AI with you.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Look after the students who are unseen, the underrepresented, those who are hidden, those who are not seen or heard. Amplify those voices by their values. Help them flourish and grow. Push them outside of their comfort zone to surpass where you are in your professional journey.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Opportunities to elevate students, staff, and faculty through community connections and external partners. As a Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander woman, doors are opening in spaces not typically seen. Challenges include gaining trust in those spaces as not many of us are seen there, requiring leading by example to open doors.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Being respectful, true to oneself, remembering where you came from. Strong work ethic from Navy veteran background of 11 years. Respecting spaces and people, showing passion for building relationships, elevating and amplifying unheard people.
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