Frank Herrera

Frank Herrera is someone who values connection, care, and the simple gift of being alive. Born and raised in San Diego, he studied Liberal Arts with a specialization in Linguistics at San Diego State University and later earned a Master of Education in TESOL from the University of San Diego. His early work was spent alongside refugee and immigrant communities through organizations such as the International Rescue Committee, Catholic Charities, and the CBET program, where he supported individuals and families from Sudan, Russia, Mexico, Iraq, and many other regions. These experiences shaped his understanding of resilience, dignity, and shared humanity.

Frank later worked at Cuyamaca College, USD, and SDSU, where he eventually founded and led a Pre-MBA/Pre-Master’s program for international graduate students. In 2019, he moved to Humboldt and joined the MultiCultural Center, which later became the Social Justice, Equity & Inclusion Center, where he continued to help cultivate spaces of welcome, belonging, and support. He now serves in the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion as the Interim Special Projects Coordinator, focusing on collaboration, shared learning, and community-building across campus and within the local community.

He has a deep interest in how people learn, how cultures form, and how small acts of care can ripple outward. He is drawn to ideas like Ichigo Ichie (cherishing the unrepeatable moment), Eudaimonia (flourishing through meaning and virtue), and the Stoic reminder to live one’s values rather than explain them.

Nature keeps him grounded. He finds joy in biking, running, camping, and freediving – quiet moments where breath, movement, and the world around him feel like enough. His wife and two daughters are his heart and his reminder to move gently and intentionally. He also grew up learning to build, repair, and live close to the land, lessons that taught him resourcefulness and humility.

Frank believes that learning is a lifelong unfolding – a chance to grow more patient, more curious, and more kind. Every day, every relationship, every conversation is a gift, and he tries to meet each with presence.

Favorite Quote: “Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” – Epictetus
Hobbies: Biking, freediving, running, camping
Areas of Interest: Social & Environmental Justice, Critical Pedagogy, Stoicism, Deconstruction, Absurdism, Minimalism/Essentialism, Systems Thinking