Dr. Andria P. Denmon is an associate professor in the Life Sciences Department at Santa Monica College (SMC). In this role, she developed the equity-centered, biotechnology technician education program that is funded by both the National Science Foundation and the W.M. Keck Foundation. This unique certificate program is expected to launch in Fall 2024 with an associate degree currently in development. Dr. Denmon believes that science is for everyone and that without being deliberate about diversity and inclusion, true innovation cannot be achieved. She envisions the graduates of the biotechnology program using their training, skills, and passion to tackle the world’s problems while also serving as change agents who are intentional about supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the life science workforce. Prior to becoming a tenure-track faculty member at SMC, Dr. Denmon earned her BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and her PhD in Biochemistry and Cell Biology from Rice University. During her post-doctoral studies at UCI, she researched the consequence of aberrant Wnt signaling on gene expression patterns in prostate and colon cancers as well as the chemotherapeutic efficacy of plant-derived compounds on prostate cancer.