Donna Cox Wells ’66, M.A.’69, J.D. ’92

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Donna Cox Wells ’66, M.A.’69, J.D. ’92, is the recipient of the 2024 UCLA Award for Public Service for her distinguished career and her dedication to the UCLA community. Wells has been a steadfast supporter of UCLA with an unbridled enthusiasm and willingness to lend a hand.

Since 2010, Wells has been an attorney with the Los Angeles County Chicano Employees Association (LACCEA), a nonprofit that provides legal representation for public employees and advocates for issues that benefit Latinos and other communities.

Throughout the years, she has made a significant difference in Bruins’ lives through her extensive volunteer work and generous financial contributions. Serving as a community ambassador, she inspires others to reflect on their own experiences and contemplate ways they can volunteer their time and talents. She leverages her social media presence to engage students and alumni seeking advice and support.

A proud triple Bruin, Wells earned a B.A. and M.A. in Spanish literature from UCLA. Following graduation, she worked in TV production, and translated Spanish and French for the CIA. In 1989 at age 43, Wells left her position as production specialist for the California Film Commission to earn her Juris Doctor from UCLA Law. She embarked on her second career as a labor, employment and civil rights litigator. She then helped shape local, state and federal film production legislation as a director of Government Relations for the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and General Counsel at FilmLA, a nonprofit that promotes and monitors filming in Los Angeles.

Wells has served on the UCLA Law Alumni Association Board of Directors, actively engaging in this leadership role. She is committed to supporting the development of future lawyers through her participation in the UCLA Law Alumni Mentorship Program, where she offers valuable insights and guidance based on her own experience.

Wells is a member of the California Employment Lawyers Association and the Labor & Employment Law sections of the California and L.A. County bar associations. She serves on the County Bar President’s Advisory Committee for the Status of Women in the Legal Profession. She also advises nonprofit corporations, including the Location Managers Guild International and the Set Decorators Society of America.

Donna Wells has made an immeasurable positive impact at UCLA and for Latino workers through her generosity, kindness and advocacy.