Prior to being elected to the Board of Education, Dieema Wheaton served our school community in various leadership roles including PTA Treasurer at both Center Street Elementary School and El Segundo Middle School. She was awarded the El Segundo PTA Honorary Service Award in 2016 for revamping the PTA’s financial process. She is currently a PTA member at all four main school sites and is a proud Superintendent’s Round Table contributor.
Dieema earned a bachelor’s degree in economics/accounting from Tougaloo College in Mississippi and was licensed by the State of California as a Certified Public Accountant in 2000.
With more than 20 years of professional experience, Dieema began her career with the global accounting firm KPMG in Los Angeles. She later worked as senior management in the finance departments of Universal Music and Sony Pictures Entertainment. Currently, she is Chief of Staff for Palm Tree LLC, a M&A consulting and advisory firm in El Segundo. She works to develop, implement, and oversee Palm Tree’s internal finance processes and procedures and manages Palm Tree’s human capital, and internal operational initiatives.
Actively involved in the schools since 2011, Dieema moved to El Segundo with her husband, Andrew, and three children in 2014. She is an active volunteer both for the schools and in the community. Dieema and her daughters volunteer for the National Charity League where she has held the positions of Vice President of Communications and Grade Level Advisor. Dieema is proud to serve on the ESUSD Board where she will work to achieve continued excellence at our schools through compassion, empathy, and dedication.