Biography

IT Executive| Board Member| Author| #ThinkBigDiversity Advocate

Charron Andrus is an IT and cybersecurity executive with more than 20 years of experience spanning public and private organizations, clinical environments, and higher education. She has spent nearly 15 years within the University of California system, serving at both UC Berkeley and UC Davis Health, where her work has focused on technology leadership, and building resilient and inclusive IT environments. Charron holds an M.A. in Gerontology from the University of Southern California and a B.S. in Organizational Leadership from Biola University. She serves as an appointed Sacramento City Independent Redistricting Commissioner and as a member of the Hearts with Haiti Executive Board of Directors. Her leadership is grounded in a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equity across faculty, staff, and student communities, as well as a deep belief in the power of meaningful relationships and collaboration within higher education and beyond.

In her spare time, she enjoys writing, having published a book of poems: Words That Occur in the Absence of Love and a Planner, Journal and Goal Tracker: Simplicity & Joy Planner.

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I am what I call a #thinkbigdiversity advocate. I call myself this because I believe that diversity is so big it should color every aspect of our lives, both professional and private. I have chosen to focus on countering the systemic exclusionary practices that have kept Black women and other marginalized individuals on the outskirts of technology by advocating for change, spotlighting inequities, and driving conversations focused on identifying actionable solutions.

I co-founded the Black Leadership Alliance Council (BLAC@UC) to serve Black staff, faculty, and students across the University of California system, I am most recent past Chair of University of California's Womxn in Technology, co-lead the EDUCAUSE Diversity in IT Community Group, participated as a subject matter expert on the UC Campus Safety Symposium, facilitated dialogue around needed changes with the Regents as an officer of the UC Staff Assembly, and created Information Technology targeted DEIBJA programming and training while at UC Davis Health.

I am very intentional in showing up and making sure that people see me and my accomplishments and struggles as a Black woman technology leader because I am a firm believer that seeing the thing you are striving to become can be a deciding factor in whether you believe you can accomplish it.

I am committed to this work because I desire to serve and create a world where people have opportunities to show up, thrive, and succeed while achieving organizational success.