A career in radiology is not what this former law student expected.

Michele Perez, incoming radiologic technology director and El Camino College alumnus, wanted to be a lawyer since she was a child.

“I was very argumentative… I would be able to help people and solve crimes and whatever I thought as a kid,” Perez said.

Born in New Jersey, Perez grew up in Torrance and graduated from Nathaniel Narbonne High School in 1991.

She went to El Camino to study law and make her dream come true, but said it took her a few years to figure out what she wanted to do.

“When I first started, it was law and I did like marine biology and I got photography and then I changed my major [to radiologic technology],” Perez said.

Finding it interesting, Perez joined the radiologic technology program in 1997.

As part of the program requirements, she trained at Centinela Hospital Medical Center, where she has been working for 25 years since graduating from El Camino in 1999.

In addition to working at the hospital, Perez is a full-time radiology professor who will take the position of radiologic technology program director starting this fall.

Perez will be the third director in the program that started over 30 years ago. She is replacing the current director, Dawn Charman, who will be retiring this semester.

“I love the students, I love teaching them, I love seeing them just grow,” Perez said.

At the hospital, Perez has worked with diagnostic X-rays and mammography, which provides screening to detect breast cancer.

Wanting to try something new, she got a license for CT scan and has been doing it for 22 years. CT scans generate 3D images of the inside of a person’s body.

Perez said she loves her job and has a passion for it.

“It is very fast-paced, you see a lot of patients,” Perez said. “The technology of the machines has changed…you get to see a lot like heart scans and head scans, it’s very interesting.”

Inspired by her mother who works as a nurse, Perez has always followed her advice to “take advantages of opportunities that are given to you so somebody gives you an opportunity.”

Perez never declines an invitation.

“She [Perez] is always willing to try,” Charman said. “She’s very much a team player.”

After getting a little burnt out from working at the hospital, Perez heard her coworker was teaching at El Camino. This inspired her to become an instructor.

“I applied because I always wanted to do it,” Perez said.

Perez became a part-time instructor for the radiologic technology program in 2017, working in the clinics and visiting the students every week.

“I really liked that interaction with the students and seeing how excited they are to be doing what they’re doing, especially if there’s like a concept or something they’re having difficulty with and I help them understand it,” she said.

While working at Centinela and El Camino, Perez got her bachelor’s degree in biomedical sciences at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in 2018.

She then earned a master’s of science in biomedical sciences and public health.

Working full-time since 2022, Perez has taught introductory classes for non-program students, orientation classes and radiographic positioning classes for students in the program.

Sophomore students in the radiologic technology Program described Perez as “really helpful.”

Radiologic technology major Nick Iijima, 24, said Perez tells the students what they need to be aware of in terms of proper patient care.

“She’s someone who is very approachable, very straightforward and always willing to help,” Iijima said. “She’s taught me how to be a professional.”

Sky Sanchez, 23, appreciates the way Perez teaches.

“She is hands-on and she gets straight to the point,” Sanchez said. “I’m glad to be a part of her journey.”

Radiologic technology is not the only thing Perez enjoys.

She loves spending time with her husband, daughter and four dogs.

Perez said her daughter is currently studying law out-of-state, while also taking an EMT class at her college.

Perez said she wants to be the biggest supporter for her daughter.

“She may experience the same thing [as me],” Perez said. “So we’ll see what happens.”