Oliver Unaka

Oliver Unaka serves as Associate Vice President for the University of La Verne and is a seasoned marketing communications expert, educational leader, business consultant, lecturer, and an At Promise youth mentor with nearly three decades of experience in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Oliver oversees ULV’s Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications, which advances the university’s mission by delivering inclusive research and data-driven strategies to enhance institutional reputation, support diverse recruitment and retention goals, and foster engagement from its various publics. He and his team provide tailored, strategic, and impactful internal and external marketing and communication services in four specialized service units – Communications, Creative Services, Integrated Operations, and Marketing.

A passionate advocate for high-quality and equitable education, Oliver has committed himself to supporting student-learning outcomes at all levels – from TK-12 to post-secondary. As well, he serves as Chairman of the Board for a charter organization whose primary aim is to provide second chances toward college and career options for At Promise students in fourteen locations throughout the state of California – from San Diego to the Bay Area.

Throughout his 28-year career in roles that span from Director of PR and Community Engagement at Bacara Resort & Spa (now Ritz-Carlton Bacara) in Santa Barbara to Principal Strategist at Elite Public Affairs Firm in Downtown Los Angeles, Oliver has earned industry awards for excellence in marketing, strategic communications, and public affairs. In 2023, Oliver was lauded by Senator Steven Bradford, Assemblywoman Tina S. McKinnor, and Los Angeles Councilman Curren D. Price, Jr., and provided certificates of recognition for stellar service as a “Community Champion” for a decade’s worth of service to the National College Resources Foundation.

Oliver has served on several boards for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, California Association of Black School Educators, and The State Bar of California.

Oliver holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from the University of Redlands and a bachelor’s degree with honors (Phi Sigma Tau) in Philosophy from the University of California at Santa Barbara. As well, he holds certificates from the African American Board Leadership Institute and Cornell University.

Aside from overseeing MarComm initiatives, board duties, and community service, Oliver enjoys spending quality family time with his wife, LaKeisha; their daughter, Brooke; their son, Carter; and their indolent spcaLA rescue dog-child, Boomer, in Eastvale, California.