KCC continues local leader focus naming Akins as keynote speaker

Tayo Akins, Chief Executive Officer and President for Cascade Comprehensive Care (CCC) and Cascade Health Alliance (CHA), has been named as the keynote speaker for the upcoming Klamath Community College commencement ceremony.

The announcement of Akins as the keynote speaker for commencement continues a recent tradition KCC has maintained to proactively promote and partner with local leaders keenly aware and involved in regional issues and opportunities in the Klamath Basin. Previous recent speakers have included Sky Lakes Medical Center CEO David Cauble, Klamath County Commissioner David DeGroot, and Oregon District 55 State House Representative E. Werner Reschke.

Scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, June 16, the commencement ceremony serves as graduation for the class of 2023. It will be presented both in-person for friends and family on the KCC campus lawn, and live-streamed on the KCC YouTube channel for the general public. The celebration honors graduates who have not only overcome academic challenges, but persevered in their educational goals amidst the added burdens of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

Cascade Comprehensive Care, through its affiliated organizations CHA and ATRIO Health Plans, provides health services for populations covered under Medicaid and Medicare. Akins has worked decades in the healthcare industry and further serves the community as a board member of Pacific Crest Federal Credit Union and ATRIO Health Plans. Previously, he has served on the boards for Reliance (Jefferson Health Information Exchange), the Klamath Falls Blue Zones Project steering committee, and the Oregon Higher Education Coordination Commission.

Akins earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Howard University and a Master’s Degree from Stanford University.

A strong supporter of Klamath Community College, Akins, and his affiliated organizations have partnered with KCC in efforts such as sponsoring workforce training programs, partnering in development of KCC’s Health Information Management program, economic development for housing in affiliation with the Klamath County Economic Development Association, low-income first-generation GED grant awareness, and ongoing support of the KCC Foundation. Under his direction, and with support from CCC’s board of directors, over $6 million in donations for community projects and initiatives have been made in Klamath County through the organization.

KCC’s commencement will feature several speakers in addition to Akins, spotlighting individual student achievements and academic honors. A reception for graduates and their invited guests will also be included. Barring inclement weather, ceremonies will be outside on the KCC main lawn adjacent to Founders Hall.
Additional student graduation ceremonies will also be held on upcoming dates for individual programs such as GED, TRiO Student Support Services, and high school pathway graduates.