About Wesley Okumura

Hello, my name is Wesley. I grew up in Southern California and decided to make Highland, CA my home with my wife and three daughters. I love fly fishing in the Eastern Sierra’s with my family or any buddies that are willing to go along. During the week I always like to spend some time in the garden. It’s always rewarding to see your planning and patience payoff with fresh fruits and vegetables, and when they taste more flavorful than store bought produce it’s even better. I enjoy anything that allows me to take in the natural hope to always keep God first in my life and I’m constantly working to develop my relationship with Him.

Why I came to Loma Linda University?

I did my pediatric residency here at Loma Linda University and I was inspired and grounded by the Christian atmosphere that was set by my professors. They taught me to be responsible in my actions, thoughtful in my decisions, and faithful to my commitments. Subsequently, I decided to work at Loma Linda University because I knew it would be fulfilling for me to work at an institution that encourages wholesome living.

How I have seen equal access lead to new opportunities at Loma Linda University?

I have recently been witnessing the transformation of a former employee who is a female minority that came from a single parent home in a low-income household, and was inspired to follow a new dream of becoming a health professional. While working in the school of dentistry as a receptionist she observed the diversity of students from different ethnicities, social backgrounds, and faiths, and decided for herself that she too would like to have a career as a dentist. Knowing that there is an opportunity for a dental career sparked a fire in her to attend a community college for 3 years while working full-time in order to financial support herself, and is currently enrolled at La Sierra University getting ready to apply for dental school. If it wasn’t for her knowledge that Loma Linda University encourages a wide diversity of students, she probably wouldn’t have had the dream nor the motivation to move forward.