Board of Directors 2017-18

President

Christine Simmons ’98 

Christine N. Simmons is president and chief operations officer of the Los Angeles Sparks. As one of the founding WNBA teams, this iconic franchise has three league titles as well as the most playoff appearances (15) in the WNBA’s 20-year history.

Simmons brings more than a decade of leadership experience in creating strategic alliances, leading business development and driving corporate initiatives to the role, most recently serving as executive vice president of Magic Johnson Enterprises. As president and COO, she directs and coordinates all aspects of the team’s business operations including ticket sales, sponsorship sales, marketing, game operations, public relations, community relations and finance. In her role with Magic Johnson Enterprises, Simmons led the day-to-day operations of the Sparks throughout the team’s first season under the ownership group led by Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Mark R. Walter.

Simmons’ background includes working with most of the Fortune 500, including major brands such as NBCUniversal and Disney, to create synergistic partnerships between those corporations and the business community nationally. Diversity and empowerment have always been true passions for Simmons as she led supplier diversity for NBCUniversal, ensuring that diverse communities have opportunities to compete for business with the corporation.

A passionate and loyal Bruin, Simmons graduated from UCLA and has served on the UCLA Alumni Association Board for five years, and is the current president. Prior to serving on the UCLA Alumni Association Board, she served as a board member for the UCLA Black Alumni Association where chaired the audit and strategic planning committees.

Simmons also serves on the board of directors for the LA Sports Council and the Positive Coaching Alliance. She is an active member of the advisory committee of Better Futures for Thomazeau (a non-profit organization that creates jobs and lends aid to Haiti), the NBA Global Inclusion Committee, and the advisory committee for Next Play Capital. Simmons has earned a number of honors, including the UCLA Black Alumni Association alumna of the year in 2012, the Top 25 Women of Power Impacting Diversity by DiversityPlus magazine and the Who’s Who in Black Los Angeles.

President Elect

Cheryl M. Lott ’01, J.D. ‘04 

Based in Los Angeles, Cheryl M. Lott is a shareholder in business law firm Buchalter’s litigation and labor and employment practice groups. She is also the chair of the firm’s pro bono committee, and a former ex officio member of the firm’s board of directors. Lott represents corporate clients, organic farmers, banks, mortgage companies and other financial institutions in both state and federal court. Her practice focuses on general business and commercial litigation, class action defense, receivership and guaranty-related litigation, and labor and employment litigation.

In addition, Lott's areas of emphasis include employment counseling, contract disputes, independent film finance disputes, unfair competition, deceptive trade practices, product liability, and creditors' rights and fair debt collection practices.

Lott is a member of the UCLA Law Alumni Board and is recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer Rising Star for 2009 through 2014.

Lott earned her J.D. at the UCLA School of Law, with a concentration in critical race studies and specialization in corporate law. While at UCLA Law, she was awarded scholarships for academic achievement all three years of her law school career. Additionally, Lott served as Co-Chair for the Black Law Students Association, inter-organizational chair for La Raza Law Students Association, managing editor for the Chicano Latino Law Review, and convention coordinator for the National Black Law Students Association-Western Region. She received her B.A. in political science and African American studies, with a minor in Chicano studies at UCLA.

Secretary

Lynn O’Connell ’83 

Upon graduation from UCLA, Lynn O’Connell immediately put her design degree to work, homing in on the nonprofit arena. As an art director, O’Connell designed successful fund raising campaigns focusing first on museums and performing art centers across the nation. Her passion quickly turned to the social service sector raising support for organizations that aid underserved communities.

With a strong background in creative strategy, content development and brand alignment, O’Connell is a creative director at Grizzard Communications Group, an Omnicom Agency. Leading a multi-disciplinary team of designers to create successful integrated campaigns, she feels fortunate to be able to turn her commitment to nonprofits into measurable impact, raising over $1 billion on behalf of their clients.

A member of the South Bay Alumni Network, O’Connell serves on the advisory board of Grades of Green, a nonprofit that raises environmental awareness of children within the school curriculum and broader community. She also advises other nonprofits — including one close to her heart — Nutrition and Education International, which works to eradicate malnutrition in Afghanistan by developing a self-sustaining soy industry.

Treasurer

Paul Shurgot ’91, M.B.A. ’97 

As senior vice president and chief financial officer of The Walt Disney Studios, Paul Shurgot oversees finance for the studios’ film division, which includes films produced by Disney Live Action, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm, as well as the stage play and music division. Shurgot joined The Walt Disney Company in 1994, and during his tenure has held a variety of finance and consulting positions throughout the organization. In addition to being responsible for forecast, planning and reporting activities, he has been involved in several key strategic and operational initiatives including the reorganization and sale of Miramax, the DreamWorks Studio distribution deal, and the integrations of both Marvel and Lucasfilm’s studio operations following their acquisitions by Disney.Prior to joining Disney, Shurgot served as manager, mergers and acquisitions advisory, and due diligence group at Ernst & Young LLP, where he was responsible for analyzing and structuring the acquisition of target companies. His previous experience includes roles at Harvey Universal, Inc. and KPMG Peat Marwick. Shurgot pursued his undergraduate degree at UCLA where he received a Bachelor of Arts in economics and business, and later earned an M.B.A. in strategy and finance from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
General Counsel

Salvador LaViña ’83 

Salvador P. LaViña has more than 28 years of experience serving as a fierce advocate and trusted advisor to his many successful clients. In the past 10 years, he has closed several billion dollars worth of complex deals and has provided strategic advice on a broad range of legal and business issues. LaViña hails from a UCLA family, is a native Angeleno and was the product of LA’s public schools. After graduating magna cum laude from UCLA with a degree in English, he spent a year as a reporter, then attended Columbia Law School, where he graduated with a J.D. in 1987. LaViña says he was blessed to graduate from “the best schools in the two best cities.” LaViña started his law career at O’Melveny & Myers, and since then has run law firms and businesses as a partner, general counsel and outside counsel.

LaViña serves on non-profit boards with a focus on children, including The Village Family Services, and was a board member for several years for Para los Niños. He is active in all things Bruin, including the UCLA Alumni Association (Gold Member Level), Wooden Athletic Fund (Coaches Roundtable Member) and UCLA Foundation Campaign of Champions. LaViña has hosted Dinners for 12 Strangers, participated in Interview With a Bruin, been an Alumni Mentor, spoken at UCLA Extension courses on business and real estate law, and has attended Bruin Professionals events.

Associate Vice Chancellor, Alumni Affairs

Julie Sina 

Chief Financial Officer

Lea Howe 

Directors

John Arboleda ’96 

John Arboleda’s passion for improving stakeholder engagement in higher education led him to eventually start his own company – NOYO (NotOnYourOwn) Global Engagement, a global consulting firm. As chief engagement officer, he leads a team that partners with public and corporate organizations to design innovative solutions to address the disruptive changes taking place that require institutions to rethink how they engage stakeholders.Arboleda has more than 16 years of international experience in higher education, having worked across all areas of the student-to-alumni engagement lifecycle. Prior to founding NOYO, he worked at ESADE Business School in Spain as the director of international alumni affairs, developing and leading their global engagement strategy. Arboleda has also held various leadership positions at Goethe University (Frankfurt, Germany) where he partnered with the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, launching an executive M.B.A. program in Europe. He initially started his career in higher education working for the University of California Office of the President.As an active thought leader, Arboleda was appointed to serve on the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) European Annual Conference Planning Committee where he co-chaired the alumni relations track in 2012-14. Additional acknowledgements include publications in CASE´s Currents Magazine, The Financial Times and expert interview in The New York Times. He has been a guest speaker at CASE, the European Association for International Education, the European Foundation for Management Development, CASE Africa, the Graduate Management Admissions Council and NAFSA: Association of International Educators.Based in Barcelona, Spain, Arboleda is a U.S. expatriate that has spent more than 15 years gaining global experience by studying, traveling, living and working overseas. He transferred from Cerritos College and graduated from UCLA with a B.A. in Latin American studies, and is a graduate of the Coro Fellows Program in Leadership and Public Affairs. Arboleda is a Colombian-American, married to an Italian, with a German-born son and a Spanish-born daughter – at home the spoken languages are English, Spanish and Italian.

Carolyn A. Baker ‘78 

For 30 years, Carolyn A. Baker was an attorney, lobbyist and legislative advocate in both the public and private sectors specializing in energy, environmental and mental health care issues. This experience has endowed her with an intimate understanding of the inner workings of California's legislative and budgetary processes.

Baker was an active participant in California’s energy industry restructuring and deregulation and chaired the Independent Energy Producers Association, California's oldest and leading energy nonprofit trade association. She served as the legislative director for several state government agencies including the California Environmental Protection Agency and California Department of Conservation. In these positions, she managed legislative and budget programs in the state capitol, including representing the administration in testimony at legislative and budget hearings.

Both of Baker’s parents attended UCLA, and her deep, longstanding relationship with the school began as a child growing up near campus and living around UCLA faculty and administrators. A fond memory was when her parents bought UCLA Men’s Basketball season tickets the year that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar ’69 joined the team under legendary Coach John Wooden. Her love for her alma mater remains contagious, as are her energy and enthusiasm. For two years, she served as president of the UCLA Alumni Association’s Sacramento network and oversaw the region’s largest and most successful New Bruin Send-off in more than a decade. A reconstituted board of directors—comprised of diverse age groups and interests—has embraced her ideas for fundraising and development events and activities to appeal to a broad, diverse spectrum of alumni.

Always welcoming, Baker has rejuvenated holiday parties with opportunity drawings that raised several thousand dollars for the Sacramento network’s budget. With the assistance of her communications director, Baker has established a UCLA Alumni Sacramento network Facebook group with several hundred members and created active Twitter and Instagram accounts as well as a website loaded with event photos. She has participated often in UC Advocacy Day in the state capitol as a member of the UCLA delegation.

Mitra Best ’87 

Mitra M. Best graduated from UCLA with a degree in Computer Science and Linguistics and is currently the U.S. Innovation Leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) where she leads the disciplined approach to inspire and advance innovative ideas around developing new business models, platforms, and market opportunities that extend the boundaries of professional services.

She leads teams that co-create solutions across the organization and through prototyping, leveraging emerging technologies and applying agile methodologies, aspire to shape the future of PwC and its clients.

A major part of Ms Best’s effort is focused on promoting an idea-driven culture -- top-down and bottom-up -- where actionable ideas and entrepreneurial thinking are not only supported, but rewarded. Through fostering this mindset, Ms. Best has helped reinvent the culture at PwC – making it clear that big ideas don’t only start in the boardroom, but instead can come from anywhere and from anyone.

As a thought leader in innovation, Ms Best takes an active role in contributing to and shaping conversation in this space. She is a frequent speaker and panelist at conferences, promoting innovation, collaboration, entrepreneurship, education, and public/private partnerships.

In addition to serving on the board of UCLA Alumni Association, Ms Best serves on the boards of Start-Up UCLA, Colorado Innovation Network, University of Pennsylvania Advisory Council, American Heart Association Go Red For Women, Los Angeles Mayor’s Council on Innovation & Industry, and Facing History & Ourselves.

David Choromanski, M.B.A. ’93 

David Choromanski grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, attended Miami University for his undergraduate studies, and migrated from Chicago to attend the UCLA Anderson School of Management in 1991. During his two years at UCLA Anderson, he was appointed to the campus programs committee within the Graduate Students Association where he and a team managed and awarded university state funds to student organizations that delivered enriching campus activities for the student body. It was a rewarding position and rounded out his love for the school – beautiful campus, athletic and academic excellence, great classmates resulting in long lasting friendships, and a role in planning campus activities.After two incredibly fast and wonderful years at UCLA, Choromanski’s career in marketing began. Over the course of the next 20 years, he worked at Seagram Chateau and Estate Wines Company managing a portfolio of wines from Italy, France, Portugal, Napa and Monterey; he moved to The Coca-Cola Company to lead the $660 million portfolio of Barq’s root beer, Mello Yello, Cherry Coke and Mr. Pibb soft drinks, and eventually moved to Red Bull North America, where he and the team grew the brand from $100 million to $1.25 billion in sales. Within this time period, Choromanski and Donna Thomas, M.B.A. ’93 were married. They now have twin boys, Ben and Miles, who were born in Atlanta, Ga. in 1999.Today, Choromanski leads global consumer marketing at STAAR Surgical Company. A company dedicated to ophthalmic surgery for more than 25 years. STAAR designs, develops and manufactures implantable contact lenses for eyes all around the world and he is responsible for global consumer campaigns in key countries around the world. Prior to STAAR, Choromanski was vice president of marketing at Dermalogica, where he led U.S. marketing activities for the prestige skin care brand.Choromanski and his wife reside in Manhattan Beach, Calif. with many UCLA friends and their teenage boys.

Vito Costanzo ’84 

Vito A. Costanzo is a partner in the litigation section of the Los Angeles office of Holland & Knight. He has experience in the litigation of software and technology licensing disputes, infringement and misappropriation of intellectual property rights, trade secrets, breach of contract claims, real property rights, partnership disputes, wrongful termination, and employment discrimination.Costanzo was formerly employed as a trial attorney by the Los Angeles County District Attorneys' office. He has conducted both jury and non-jury trials and appeals, and has practiced before federal and state courts in California, federal courts in other states, the American Arbitration Association, and J.A.M.S./Endispute.

Costanzo has a B.A. in economics from UCLA and a law degree from Loyola Law School.

David Crawford ’95 

Dave Crawford graduated from UCLA with a degree in mechanical engineering and is currently an Executive R&D Imagineer with Walt Disney Imagineering, Research & Development Inc. The R&D team is a forward looking, technical/creative group that is focused on developing new tools, technologies, and entertainment that will enable innovative experiences for Disney guests 5-10 years in the future. He is responsible for multiple departments that include Creative Development, Environmental/Sustainability, and Producing, where he leads cross-discipline teams that generate new ideas for the creative use and application of technical systems while focusing development and prototype efforts on optimum solutions. Crawford is a certified professional engineer and has more than 50 utility patents or pending applications.

A creative leader with a strong background in innovative engineering and problem-solving, Crawford thrives in cross-discipline and diverse environments. He is a positive and optimistic leader who learns from those around him and loves finding ways to achieve things others say are impossible.

Crawford has participated in a variety of UCLA volunteer opportunities, including the Nominations Subcommittee, Awards Selection Committee, and Alumni Mentor Program. He lives in Long Beach with his wife and two sons and enjoys woodworking, scuba diving, and home tech projects that make it overly complicated for his family to do simple things like turn on the TV or make a phone call.

Max Espinoza, ’99 

Max Espinoza joined the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in December 2015 as a senior program officer with the foundation’s U.S. policy, advocacy and communications team working on postsecondary education issues. His main focus is building the political and public will for postsecondary education reforms critical to achieving the foundation’s goals of advancing equity in postsecondary education attainment and ensuring 11 million more credentials of value by 2025.

Prior to joining the Foundation, Espinoza was senior vice president of education programs and policy at Scholarship America, a national non-profit that works directly with communities, businesses and foundations to shape impactful educational support programs for those in need. At Scholarship America, Espinoza served as the organization’s lead spokesperson on education issues and built the organization’s advocacy, public policy and research platforms and provided strategy and operational management of the organization’s education programs.

Espinoza spent 14 years in California state government in key policymaking roles, including more than a decade with the California State Assembly advising elected officials and legislative leadership in the shaping of policy and fiscal priorities. Max also served as an executive leader at the California Student Aid Commission and was responsible for managing over $1 billion in state and federal financial aid programs and overseeing the delivery of support services to students and schools, along with serving as the agency’s principal spokesperson and liaison to over 400 high schools and colleges. From 2004 to 2009, Max served as the President of the Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project, an all-volunteer run, community based nonprofit whose mission is to enhance and build the leadership potential of California’s Chicano/Latino youth.

A first-generation college student from a working class immigrant family, Espinoza has been a passionate advocate for students throughout his career and has dedicated himself to ensuring postsecondary education equity and opportunity as a means of combatting socioeconomic inequity.

Debra Fong ’91, M.B.A. ’98 

Debra A. Fong is executive advisor of the Asian Pacific Community Fund, the only community-based fund in Southern California focused on generating resources for the diverse and fast-growing Asian and Pacific Islander communities.  From 2007-17, she served as the executive director and through her leadership, the organization grew seventeen-fold, increasing its grant making, donor services and support for the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) nonprofit sector.

Fong began her nonprofit career at the Little Tokyo Service Center Community Development Corporation and served as the director of administration and development, where she increased fundraising revenue by 500%. Prior to joining the nonprofit field, she spent eight years at Pacific Bell/SBC, where she held various leadership positions in network services allowing her to incorporate her strengths in organizational development, process improvement and service delivery.

Fong brings more than 25 years of leadership and management experience, combining her for-profit business skills and knowledge of the nonprofit sector in the last 15 years.
Her ability to assess organizational structures, develop solutions, create high performance teams and build alliances has allowed her to enhance organizations and advance the communities she serves. Fong’s demonstrated success and tireless work for the API community has garnered numerous awards for the Asian Pacific Community Fund.

Fong is active in her church and community and serves on the Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy – LA Chapter Steering Committee (co-chair 2011-17) and the California State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.  Previously, she served as president of the Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council (2013-17), board member and trustee of Evergreen Baptist Church-SGV and member of the White Memorial Medical Center Community Leadership Council. Fong also served on the board of directors for OCA-Greater Los Angeles for many years and was a founding director of Asians for Corporate and Community Action in Southern California – an affinity group of Pacific Bell/SBC. Fong has also served as an adjunct professor at the American Jewish University for its graduate school of nonprofit management.

Fong holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and business as well as a Master of Business Administration from UCLA. While a UCLA undergraduate, she proudly served as a Bruin Belle for all four years as an official representative of UCLA. Fong also produced two Mardi Gras events as business director and administrative director while enjoying her time as part of the Chi Alpha Delta Sorority, the oldest Asian sorority in the U.S.

Eve Glatt ’92 

Eve Glatt graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and received an M.B.A. in finance and strategy from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, where she received the Little Family Fellowship for her volunteer work with Junior Achievement.Glatt has worked in the investment industry since 1997. She is currently a portfolio manager and research analyst at Cornerstone Capital, a subsidiary of New York Life Investment Management, with a focus on global and international equities. Glatt manages more than $2 billion in pension plan, foundation and sub-advised mutual fund accounts. She focuses on investing in undiscovered, undervalued, under-analyzed, or misunderstood emerging growth companies across the globe. Prior to Cornerstone Capital, Glatt worked in a similar role at Morgan Stanley Investment Management. Previously, she worked at GE Asset Management where she was an assistant portfolio manager on a midcap equity fund. Glatt also monitored some of GE’s investments in outside investment managers for the company’s pension plan. She began her investment career in the equity research departments of Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs. Prior to business school, Glatt worked at Ernst & Young as an auditor and is a certified public accountant in the state of California.Glatt is a board member and serves on the finance committee of a cooperative board in New York, and serves as a mentor to UCLA and Chicago Booth students who want to enter careers in investment management. She also serves as a member of the audit committee for the UCLA Alumni Association.

In her free time, Glatt enjoys traveling, ceramics and running. She resides in New York with her husband, Hugh Diddy, M.B.A. ’97, and two sons.

Derek Hu ’92 

Derek Hu is currently based in Shanghai, China as a partner and the Greater China country manager of Eric Salmon & Partners, a leading executive search firm. With more than 17 years experience in executive search, he has set up the operations in Greater China, and places key executives in the Asia Pacific region.

Prior to Eric Salmon & Partners, Hu comes from some of the top U.S. search & consulting firms. In which he has led the China operations including AT Kearney Executive Search. He was previously the Head of Human Resource Asia Pacific for Icon Medialab, playing a key role in building this leading European technology consulting firm based in Hong Kong and Singapore. Hu has a rich experience from the U.S. prior toucls moving to Asia.

He grew up in the United States and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in English Literature from UCLA. During his time in UCLA, hu was very active in Student Government as a USAC General Representative as well as being involved with the American Chinese Association. Both Derek and his family have a strong connection with UCLA, as his mother Myriam, had worked in UCLA’s medical center.

In addition to serving on the board of UCLA Alumni Association, Hu serves as a China board member for Teach for China, a nonprofit foundation which helps China’s young people to get access to a quality education. More than 93,000 students in underdeveloped regions in China have been impacted.

Jenn Hyman ’09, M.B.A. ’14 

Jenn Hyman serves as an associate brand manager at Nestle USA, working on the Nesquik brand. She recently launched a multi-million dollar promotional partnership with Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, focusing on “leveraging the power that Nesquik provides to help children conquer the day ahead.” Previously, Hyman worked on the go-to-market strategy for Skinny Cow Creamy Iced Coffee, which was the biggest launch in Nestle USA history.Prior to Nestle, Hyman worked in experiential marketing beginning with managing international premieres for Disney and home entertainment publicity for Twentieth Century Fox. Subsequently, she worked with the Anti-Defamation League in repositioning the 100-year-old brand to retain relevance for the next generation of philanthropists. Concurrently, Hyman launched and led UCLA Volunteer Day, the single largest volunteering effort of any university in the country, which is currently in its sixth year. Hyman earned a double bachelors of arts in economics and psychology from UCLA in 2009, and an M.B.A. from the UCLA Anderson School of Management in 2014. As a UCLA undergraduate, she was active in the Alumni Scholars Club (ASC) and served as its president in 2008-09. Hyman also founded the annual Locks of Love hair donation fundraiser. Her time with ASC truly shaped her career and she is eternally grateful to the Alumni Association for the opportunity to give back to the university through her board position.

Ed Lew, J.D. ’98 


As assistant chief counsel at The Walt Disney Company, Ed Lew provides legal support for technology and innovation initiatives at Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media and other businesses across the company.A native of Los Angeles, Lew moved north to attend UC Berkeley, graduating with bachelor of arts degrees in economics and ethnic studies. He had planned to return to Los Angeles, and when he was accepted at UCLA School of Law, it helped him make the transition back home. While at UCLA School of Law, Lew served as the editor-in-chief of the UCLA Asian Pacific American Law Journal (APALJ) and co-chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Law Students Association, as well as co-chair of Southern California Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.

After graduating, he met Judge Ernest Hiroshige ’67 through the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County, for which Lew had served as president. Their paths would cross many times over the years, and when Lew finished his term at APABA, Judge Hiroshige, UCLA alumnus and founder of the Asian Pacific Alumni (APA) of UCLA, encouraged him to get involved with APA. He joined the board of the APA UCLA in 2010 and became president in 2014. Since then, he has increased development efforts by organizing the inaugural gala, which provides essential funding to APA UCLA's operations and scholarship programs. He also launched the organization’s first fundraising gala honoring Randall Park ’97, an event that brought together more than 250 UCLA staff, students, alumni and friends in support of APA UCLA’s programs and initiatives.

In 2009, Lew served as president of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association (APABA) of Los Angeles County, and he remains active as a member of its advisory board. In 2008 and from 2011-2013, Lew also served as president of OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates – Greater Los Angeles, the local chapter of a national, non-partisan, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans.

Lew received the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association’s Best Under 40 Award, the Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center’s Community Leadership Award, the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association’s Distinguished Service Award, and the UCLA School of Law’s Asian Pacific Islander Law Students Association’s Alumnus of the Year Award. He currently serves on the pro bono advisory council of Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, on the advisory board of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County, on the board of the Asian Pacific American Friends of the Theatre, and as national executive vice president of OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates.

Lew was the recipient of the 2016 UCLA Volunteer of the Year award and has helped to develop leaders in the UCLA community and strengthen alumni engagement.

Shirley “Sally” Lew ’70 

Shirley “Sally” Lew is an organization management professional with more than 35 years of experience in nonprofit, for-profit, and primary and secondary school (public, private and institutional) settings. With nearly 25 years of experience in private and family philanthropy, Lew has designed, developed and implemented grantmaking programs, strategies and initiatives for various foundations on the local, regional and state levels. She has supervised teams responsible for grantee meetings and events and provided on-the-ground logistical support for a national foundation.

Currently, Lew serves as the Southern California Regional Network Weaver facilitating a cohort of Marguerite Casey Foundation grantees in support of its Equal Voice movement. She also provides programmatic support to The Annenberg Foundation for its Community Grantmaking portfolio. Formerly, she served as the Foundation Administrator at the Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation, providing direct support to the foundation president, its co-founders, board of trustees, and junior board of advisors with respect to foundation business and related projects.

Additionally, Lew provides consulting services – including strategic planning, board and staff development and training, executive coaching and mentoring, meeting and retreat facilitation, conference and event planning and logistics, proposal development and grant review, and prospect research as well as executive searches – to myriad nonprofits and foundations.

As a current director of the UCLA Alumni Association Board, Lew has served in various capacities on the Board including the Diversity Advisory Committee co-chair, Governance Committee chair, and Nominations Committee member. Today, Lew is a director on the Board of Managers of the YMCA of Greater Long Beach, Community Development Branch.A native of Los Angeles, Lew has a B.A. in English from UCLA and an M.B.A. from Pepperdine University.

Jaime Nack ’98, M.P.P. ’02 

Jaime Nack is the president of Three Squares, Inc., a cutting-edge sustainability consulting firm specializing in developing comprehensive sustainability plans for corporate entities, government agencies and academic institutions. In 2013, she launched One Drop Interactive – a cloud-based employee engagement platform for maximizing sustainability management and cost savings. The program was designed to allow companies to improve environmental and economic performance from the inside out: equipping employees with the education and resources to implement sustainable business practices.Nack has a master’s degree in public policy and international trade from UCLA, where she also earned her bachelor’s degree in international economics with a minor in urban planning. She proudly serves as one of former Vice President Al Gore’s presenters for the Climate Reality Project and has served as a federal appointee to the National Women’s Business Council, an advisory council to the president of the United States, Congress and the Small Business Administration on economic issues of importance to women business owners. Nack was named the 2013 Environmental Conservator of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2011, she was also named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.

Todd A. Sargent ‘96 

Todd A. Sargent is a management consultant with more than 16 years of cross-industry experience in program/project management, change enablement, organization design and strategy, talent management, system selection, and process improvement. Currently, Todd Sargent leads talent and organizational development for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, solving complex organizational challenges and implementing innovative change strategies. He drives organizational assessments, strategy alignment, organization design, change leadership, and organizational culture and values primarily for the Disneyland Resort.Working with companies from just about every industry—from life sciences to media and entertainment—Sargent is a trusted advisor to executive-level staff with a passion for diagnosing and optimizing organizational and human performance. His specific areas of expertise include shaping and engaging organizations, improving collaboration and building internal change capabilities. As he says, his “job is to make sure these things don't fail.”

Sargent jumped into activities at UCLA the moment he arrived on campus, challenging himself to be more than a number and take advantage of the opportunities available only at UCLA. A self-described “super-joiner,” he was an elected member of the Undergraduate Students Association Council (USAC), a resident assistant for two years in Sproul Hall, Vice President of the Student Alumni Association (SAA), and a founding father of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, in addition to singing with the UCLA Gospel Choir. His proudest student achievement was to establish the UCLA Scholarship Resource Center.

A returning board member (2007-2010 term), Sargent has also previously served as Chair of the UCLA Lambda Alumni Network and Advocate (President) of the Order of the Golden Bruin.

He holds a master of business arts degree in international business from The George Washington University and currently serves as President of the City of Los Angeles Innovation and Performance Commission.

D’Artagnan Scorza ’07, Ph.D. ’13 

D’Artagnan Scorza serves on the Inglewood Unified School District Board of Education. Elected in April 2015, he has been driving change in Inglewood’s schools and holding the state accountable to put Inglewood’s students first. Scorza’s top priorities are to increase academic achievement, prepare students for the jobs of the future, and create safe, clean, and healthy schools.In addition to his service on the school board, Scorza is the founder and executive director of the Social Justice Learning Institute, a non-profit organization that works to help communities achieve health and educational equity. His leadership helped establish community gardens, a farmers market and create healthy lifestyle centers in Inglewood.

Scorza also developed the Urban Scholars program to provide students with opportunities for academic support, personal growth, college guidance and jobs. Among the students who have completed the program, 95 percent have graduated from high school and 85 percent were accepted to college.

Scorza served as the chair of the Measure GG campaign, which secured $90 million in school improvement bonds to renovate Inglewood’s schools and expand access to a safe, healthy and quality education for every child. He is also currently engaged in grassroots policy efforts through the Healthy and Sustainable Inglewood Collaborative, a group of more than 30 local stakeholders, to create jobs by expanding business opportunities through local economic development, to improve Inglewood’s health, and to empower boys and men of color.

Scorza grew up in Inglewood and is a product of local public schools, graduating from Morningside High School. He attended college at both UCLA and National University and earned his Ph.D. in education from UCLA. At UCLA, Scorza helped organize an effort to increase enrollment of African American and Latino students and served on the UC Board of Regents. He also was named a 2010 Education Pioneers Fellow and a 2013-14 Business Alliance for Local Living Economies Fellow. Among Scorza’s many accomplishments, he has conducted expansive research that helped implement policies throughout the state of California, including passing policies that established veteran’s service centers across UC campuses and prioritized $160 million for student services.

Scorza bravely served our country in the United States Navy. During the Iraq War, he helped establish a navel operations unit, managing 250 Navy personnel and an operation budget supporting service members traveling in and out of hostile zones. He was awarded multiple medals for his service and received an honorable discharge.

Eric Shaw ’98 

Eric D. Shaw’s professional experience showcases his commitment to public service and creating equitable and prosperous communities. He was appointed as the director of the office of planning for the District of Columbia by Mayor Muriel Bowser in January 2015. As director, Shaw is tasked with developing strategies and plans that support the growth and development of Washington, D.C. in an inclusive and sustainable manner.Shaw has worked in cities throughout the country, in the public and philanthropic sectors. He served as the Salt Lake City Director of Community and Economic Development, leading initiatives to increase community engagement, develop affordable housing, and strengthen relationships with cities around the globe. Shaw was a leader in planning efforts in post Katrina Louisiana as the director of community planning for the Louisiana Recovery Authority and vice president of programs and policy for Foundation for Louisiana. As director of community planning, he provided direct technical assistance to local leaders and managed the Comprehensive Resilience Pilot Program. At Foundation for Louisiana, Shaw edited the nationally-recognized Citizens’ Guide to Land Use, and Citizens’ Guide to Urban Design that trained residents on the principles of land use and urban design. No matter his location, he is always trying to connect with fellow Bruins.Shaw has a strong commitment to and love for UCLA that began the day he walked on campus in September 1993. He was a campus tour guide, was elected undergraduate students association facilities commissioner, was active in the minority engineering program and has participated in UCLA Alumni activities throughout the nation. In 2013, Shaw was selected to participate in the UCLA Student Affairs LGBT Round Table.

Shaw is the third member of his family to attend UCLA. His mother, Rochelle Rawls Shaw, graduated in 1978 and his younger brother Daniel Shaw graduated from the UCLA Anderson School of Management in 2008. Shaw has a Bachelor of Arts in international development studies from UCLA and a master’s in urban planning from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.

Ann Wang ’13 

Ann Wang is the co-founder and CEO of Enrou, an online story-driven marketplace for the socially conscious consumer to discover one-of-a-kind products created in developing communities around the world. Enrou empowers consumers to reduce global poverty with every purchase and live intentionally every day.As the daughter of a first-generation immigrant and entrepreneur, Wang grew up viewing the world through a distinct lens. While her dad taught her how to negotiate, lead and the importance of being self-sufficient, she always felt a responsibility to make a difference in the lives of others around the world. After initially looking into medicine and traditional non-profit aid as outlets to make that difference, Wang realized her calling was to start her own business.

Set on the idea that social enterprise was the answer to addressing a global need and creating lasting impact, Wang approached her longtime friend and roommate, Jessica Willison ’13, to join her on this journey. Willison’s passion and experience within the consumer retail market coupled with her similar belief in a brighter world made her the perfect fit to establish their social enterprise, now known as Enrou.

In 2014, Enrou was awarded Forbes first-ever Pressure Cooker Award held during Forbes’ Under 30 Summit. Wang is a graduate of UCLA and currently resides in Los Angeles.

Ex-Officio
Chancellor

Gene D. Block 

Dr. Gene Block became chancellor of UCLA in August 2007. As chief executive officer, he oversees all aspects of the university’s three-part mis­sion of education, research and service.A biologist, Block holds UCLA faculty appointments in the David Gef­fen School of Medicine and the College of Letters and Science. He also leads a research lab funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Block previously served as vice president and provost of the University of Virginia. There, he headed an NIH graduate training program designed to increase the number of scientists from under­represented groups. He also received the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Outstanding Public Service Award for his work with Virginia’s business community.

A native of Monticello, N.Y., Block holds a bachelor’s degree in psychol­ogy from Stanford University and a master’s and Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Oregon. He is a fellow of the American Associa­tion for the Advancement of Science.

The inventor of a number of devices, Block holds a patent for a non-contact respiratory monitor to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Ex-Officio
UC Alumni Regent

Albert Lemus ’91 

Albert Lemus leads Atwater Infrastructure Partners with more than 20 years of experience in social infrastructure, telecommunications infrastructure, and an in-depth understanding of real estate investment, development and new markets tax credits (NMTC). As managing partner, he leads the organization and is responsible for all aspects of the firm, including finance, development, services and NMTC.Lemus is a member of the Urban Land Institute, International Council of Shopping Centers and the NMTC Coalition. He is a frequent guest speaker on topics of infrastructure finance and NMTC. Lemus also serves on the boards of the UCLA Foundation, Goodwill Southern California and LA Family Housing.

Lemus earned a bachelor of arts in history from UCLA in 1991 and an M.B.A. from Stanford University in 1997. As a UCLA undergraduate, he was active in the Latino Business Association and Barrio Youth Alternative. A long-standing member of the UCLA Bruin Caucus, Lemus served on the Bruin Caucus Council, the group’s steering committee. He also participated in the UCLA Anderson School Riordan Fellows Program in 1994.

Lemus is the immediate past president of the UCLA Alumni Association, serving in that role from 2013-16.

Ex-Officio
Vice Chancellor External Affairs

Rhea Turteltaub 

Rhea Turteltaub was appointed Vice Chancellor, External Affairs at UCLA in March 2008.As vice chancellor, Turtletaub oversees a diverse, yet integrated department comprising Development, Alumni Relations, University Communications & Public Affairs, Government & Community Relations and The UCLA Foundation.

Leading a team of nearly 500, Turtletaub is actively working with campus leadership on the preparations for the University's 100th anniversary celebration which include plans for a Centennial Campaign.

Turtletaub previously served as associate vice chancellor for Development with management responsibility for one of the most successful development programs of its kind. The campus has averaged more than $400 million in annual private support during the past three years.

Campaign UCLA, completed in 2005, generated a record-setting $3.052 billion.

Turtletaub began her UCLA career in the Office of Planned and Major Gifts. During the last 28 years, she served in varying capacities in annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, research, alumni and donor relations, regional development and campaign planning.

Prior to arriving at UCLA, Turtletaub held leadership positions at Otis College of Art and Design and The University of Chicago, as well as campaign positions at the University of California, Berkeley, and Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where she also earned her bachelor’s degree in political science.

Turtletaub resides in Encino, California, with her husband, Adam, and their two young sons.

Ex-Officio
Chair, UCLA Foundation

Shirley Wang ’90 

Ex-Officio
Chair, Alumni Scholarships

John Gong ‘80 

John Gong has over 30 years of progressive experience working for some of the most highly regarded brands in the world. Rising to become part of the executive leadership team of The Walt Disney Company, he has balanced his professional pursuits with a community focus through volunteerism and mentoring.Gong was honored as The Walt Disney Company Executive VoluntEAR of the Year in September 2014. As director of special events for Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media, he oversees events and productions to include marketing and media events, sales meetings, product launches, and more for Disney’s consumer products division globally. Disney Consumer Products is the business segment of The Walt Disney Company that extends the Disney brand to merchandise ranging from apparel, toys and home décor to books and magazines, foods and beverages, stationery, electronics and animation art.

Gong has also held roles such as director of product development and creative services, Walt Disney Art Classics, and product manager and senior buyer, Disney Stores Worldwide. Through it all, he has brought a singular devotion and work ethic to his career that has garnered praise from his peers and direct reports alike.

Throughout his career, Gong has consistently focused on giving back to the community through volunteerism and leadership work with multiple nonprofits and community based organizations such as Burbank Cultural Arts Foundation, Los Angeles Team Mentoring, East West Players, Disney VoluntEARS and the UCLA Ralph Bunche Scholarship Committee. He currently sits on the board of Hillsides Home for Children.

Gong earned a bachelor of arts degree in fine art from UCLA. For more than 15 years, he has volunteered with the Alumni Scholarships Program, holding various roles within the program. Most recently, he was vice chair of the Alumni Scholarships Program steering committee and provided instrumental leadership and guidance during a time of transition. This included streamlining the application process, opening the opportunity up to students across the United States, and creating an electronic review of applications so that volunteers across the world could participate. Moving forward, he hopes to provide the leadership and direction necessary to continue advancing the program, focusing primarily on increasing scholarship award amounts.

Past Boards:

Board of Directors 2016-17
Board of Directors 2015-16
Board of Directors 2014-15
Board of Directors 2013-14
Board of Directors 2012-13
Board of Directors 2011-12
Board of Directors 2010-11
Board of Directors 2009-10
Board of Directors 2008-09
Board of Directors 2007-08
Board of Directors 2006-07
Board of Directors 2005-06

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