Cerell Rivera

Cerell Rivera

San Francisco Bay Area
3K followers 500+ connections

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About

I lead billion-dollar transformations by creating the conditions where people…

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Activity

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Experience

  • LinkedIn Graphic

    LinkedIn

    San Francisco Bay Area

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    San Francisco Bay Area

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    San Jose, California

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    San Francisco Bay Area

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    San Jose, California

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    San Jose, California

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    San Francisco, California

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    Sunnyvale, California

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    Honolulu, Hawai'i

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    Honolulu, Hawai'i

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    Honolulu, Hawaii

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    San Francisco, California

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    Kamikawa Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan

Education

  • University of Hawai‘i - Shidler College of Business Graphic

    University of Hawai‘i - Shidler College of Business

    Completed an Executive MBA at the Shidler College of Business, a top-ranked, AACSB-accredited program with a global curriculum and a strong emphasis on Asia-Pacific business strategy, cross-cultural collaboration, and sustainability.

    My capstone project analyzed the financial viability and return timelines of using USDA grant funding to grow native hardwoods on farms in Hawaiʻi Island. The project focused on turn-around time to profitability, evaluating how federal subsidies could…

    Completed an Executive MBA at the Shidler College of Business, a top-ranked, AACSB-accredited program with a global curriculum and a strong emphasis on Asia-Pacific business strategy, cross-cultural collaboration, and sustainability.

    My capstone project analyzed the financial viability and return timelines of using USDA grant funding to grow native hardwoods on farms in Hawaiʻi Island. The project focused on turn-around time to profitability, evaluating how federal subsidies could accelerate sustainable forestry models while supporting rural economic development and climate resilience.

    Focus Areas: Strategic finance, operations, sustainability, and Asia-Pacific market dynamics
    Capstone Theme: Profitability modeling, grant-backed land use, regenerative forestry strategy

  • Graduate-level leadership fellowship focused on personal, team, and community effectiveness through place-based, experiential learning across the Asia Pacific region.

    As a Fellow in the Asia Pacific Leadership Program, I explored leadership practices grounded in systems thinking, cultural context, and collaborative problem solving. The program emphasized cross-sector approaches to emerging regional challenges and transformational leadership development.

    My capstone focused on…

    Graduate-level leadership fellowship focused on personal, team, and community effectiveness through place-based, experiential learning across the Asia Pacific region.

    As a Fellow in the Asia Pacific Leadership Program, I explored leadership practices grounded in systems thinking, cultural context, and collaborative problem solving. The program emphasized cross-sector approaches to emerging regional challenges and transformational leadership development.

    My capstone focused on regional security, applying foresight and scenario-planning methodologies to assess future trajectories for a nuclear North Korea. I presented my strategic analysis to an international audience of policymakers and academics in Hanoi, Vietnam.

    Field Study Locations: Molokaʻi (Hawaiʻi), New York, Washington, DC, and Vietnam
    Themes: Regional security, foresight, cross-sector leadership, systems thinking, and adaptive strategy

  • Activities and Societies: Activities: President, Land, Air & Water Resources Club | Member, Hawaiʻi Club

    My studies focused on the connections between environmental systems and societal impact—bridging the social, biological, and physical sciences with policy, infrastructure, and cultural discourse.

    Research & Field Experience:
    Published research on the ecological impacts of deep-pit aggregate mining in the Cache Creek watershed. Conducted fieldwork in Cache Creek and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Supported stink bug distribution tracking in Yolo County tomato fields through a…

    My studies focused on the connections between environmental systems and societal impact—bridging the social, biological, and physical sciences with policy, infrastructure, and cultural discourse.

    Research & Field Experience:
    Published research on the ecological impacts of deep-pit aggregate mining in the Cache Creek watershed. Conducted fieldwork in Cache Creek and Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Supported stink bug distribution tracking in Yolo County tomato fields through a work-study role in the UC Davis Entomology Lab.

    Additional Experience – CalEPA EMPM (1996–1998):
    Monitored reduced-risk pesticide use across rural California. Helped design a data network with County Agricultural Commissioners to support decisions around pesticide policy, land stewardship, and public health.

Licenses & Certifications

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Volunteer Experience

  • LinkedIn Graphic

    Rock Your Profile Ambassador, LinkedIn Coach and Culture Insider

    LinkedIn

    - 5 years 3 months

    Economic Empowerment

  • JET Alumni Association of Northern California (JETAANC) Graphic

    Board Member, JET Program Interviewer and Scholarship Committee Member

    JET Alumni Association of Northern California (JETAANC)

    - Present 11 years 8 months

  • SHRM at SJSU Graphic

    Presenter, Mentor, and Mock Interviewer

    SHRM at SJSU

    - 3 years

    Education

  • Project Organizer and Fundraiser

    Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Comission

    - 1 year

    Environment

  • Employee Committee, Cisco Community Impact Grants

    Cisco CSR

    - 1 year 1 month

    Education

  • San Jose State University Graphic

    Lucas College and Graduate School of Business, Women in Leadership League Conference, Panelist

    San Jose State University

    - 2 years

    Education

  • Tri-City Volunteers Graphic

    Food Bank Volunteer

    Tri-City Volunteers

    - 1 year

    Social Services

  • East West Center Graphic

    Co-Founder and Administrator, APLP Multi-Generational Mentoring Program

    East West Center

    - 5 years

    Education

Courses

  • I.D. Mastery™

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  • Intermediate Japanese 1, 2, 3, 4

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  • Interpretation Mastery™

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  • Introduction to Design Thinking

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  • JLPT Japanese Prep. Course

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  • Japanese for Practical Communication

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  • Strategies of Change: Leaders and Leadership

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  • ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i: E Ola Ka ‘Ohana (Hawaiian Language 1)

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Honors & Awards

  • Asia Pacific Leadership Program Fellowship

    East-West Center

    Fully funded fellowship and residency at the East-West Center, America's preeminent research and public diplomacy institution dedicated to promoting better relations among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific.

  • Cisco Innovation Pioneer

    Offer Monetization Office at Cisco

    The Innovation Pioneer award recognizes abilities to identify innovative opportunities/solutions; to lead and drive change; and to be a constructively disruptive risk taker.

  • Goldman Sachs / Matsuo Takabuki Commemorative Scholarship

    Ke Ali'i Pauahi Foundation

    Scholarship award that benefits Native graduate students pursuing study in the field of business or financial services related fields.

  • Graduate Horizons Fellowship

    College Horizons, Inc.

    Graduate Horizons serves Native college graduates preparing for graduate school. Over 600 students have participated in Graduate Horizons over the years – approximately 50 tribal nations are represented from over 25 states; 50% of participants are first-generation; 60% are current college students; 75% are female; 50% live on/near their reservation/homelands; and 40% are professionals whose work directly serves Native peoples.

  • The Mike and Deborah Washofsky Endowed Graduate Executive Education Scholarship

    The University of Hawaiʻi Foundation

    The EMBA scholarship is awarded to candidates at the sole discretion of the EMBA scholarship selection committee.

Languages

  • English

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  • Japanese

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Organizations

  • APLP Alumni Association

    Member

  • Asia Society

    Member

  • Commonwealth Club

    Member

  • East-West Center Alumni Association

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  • Japan Exchange and Teaching Program Alumni Association of Northern California (JETAANC)

    Board Member │ President │ Interviewer

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