Board of Directors 2022-23
Ann Wang ’13
President
Ann Wang is an entrepreneur, consultant, and producer who was named a Forbes “30 Under 30” social entrepreneur in 2016. Wang has built her own agency and creative studio that intersects entertainment, media, tech and nonprofits to generate lasting social and cultural change. Previously, Wang was the co-founder of Enrou, an online marketplace aimed at creating a positive social, financial and sustainable impact in 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 nonprofit 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, known as Enrou. In 2014, Enrou was awarded Forbes first-ever Pressure Cooker Award held during Forbes’ Under 30 Summit. Wang earned a bachelor’s degree in international development studies from UCLA in 2013 and has served on the Alumni Association board since 2016. Wang is a UCLA Alumni Association Sustaining Donor and currently resides in Los Angeles. Connect with Ann on UCLA ONE.
Sahil Punamia ’13
Vice President
Sahil Punamia recently moved to industry leader Netflix, after working as a senior manager at Discovery Communications where he helped lead the ~$15B integration of Scripps Networks (HGTV, Food Network), drove business planning efforts for direct-to-consumer products and provided strategic and analytical guidance to the company’s social media teams. Prior to Discovery, Sahil was a management consultant at L.E.K. Consulting where he served private equity and media clients. During his time at UCLA as an undergraduate student, Sahil and his peers founded Sigma Eta Pi, the West Coast’s first professional fraternity focused on the development of entrepreneurs whose members have been featured in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” and have been backed by Y-Combinator and leading VC firms. The fraternity has since expanded from UCLA to USC, Cal, Stanford and now totals over 200 members. A cum laude graduate, Sahil also received the Chancellor’s Service Award for his leadership to the UCLA community. As an active alumnus, Sahil served on the board of directors for UCLA Young Alumni Professionals, a 1,000+ member organization that engages UCLA’s recent graduate population. He has also participated in UCLA’s Entertainment Network Night and was a guest lecturer at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, speaking about trends in the Film and Television industry. As a frequent keynote speaker for the UCLA Career Center and as a member of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, Sahil has a deep passion for helping college students and recent graduates with their leadership and career development journeys. Sahil received an economics degree and is a UCLA Alumni Association Sustaining Donor. Connect with Sahil on UCLA ONE.
Araceli Almazan ’04
Treasurer
As Senior Associate at Alvarez-Glassman & Colvin (AGC), Araceli Almazan represents municipal entities and public entity clients in all areas of civil litigation, handling both litigation and transactional matters. She currently serves as Deputy City Attorney for the cities of Commerce, Pico Rivera, Montebello, Lynwood, Huntington Park, Norwalk and Buena Park, and as Special Counsel for the City of Santa Ana. Prior to joining AGC, Araceli represented employers in various areas of employment, including wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Araceli also worked for a healthcare litigation firm, where she represented major California healthcare providers. Prior to law school, Araceli worked for the California State Senate, the Lieutenant Governor of California and the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C. Araceli is an American Bar Foundation Fellow and has been actively involved in various trade associations. She has taken on leadership roles with the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the California State Bar, and the American Bar Association. Araceli earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Davis. She also earned a master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in public policy from Columbia University and a second master’s degree in public affairs with a concentration in Management from The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Araceli is past president of the UCLA Alumni Southeast Network, active with the First Gen Alumni Network, a member of the Chancellor’s Society and also serves as an alumni mentor.
Corey Matthews ’10, M.A. ’11
Secretary
Corey Matthews is a social change leader with 15 years of experience designing, evaluating and leading community-based programs in a variety of social policy arenas. He currently serves as a Vice President of Global Philanthropy with JPMorgan Chase & Co where he helps to manage a grant portfolio in Los Angeles that aligns with the strategic impact objectives of the company. He also plays a key role in building partnerships to bolster the company's overarching Corporate Responsibility initiatives in the region. Previously, Corey served as the Chief Operating Officer of Community Coalition - a permanent community-based institution in South Los Angeles - where he participated on the executive team to advance a robust policy agenda, direct operations, guide organization-wide strategic planning processes and launch key projects. Throughout his professional career, Corey has facilitated initiatives to serve underrepresented communities and has worked in think tanks, local government and nonprofits committed to changing systems and reducing poverty. He holds both a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Urban Education from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Master of Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley. A native of South (Central) Los Angeles, Corey is committed to solving some of society’s most urgent issues.
Julie Sina
CEO & Associate Vice Chancellor, Alumni Affairs
Julie Sina formally and officially became UCLA’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Alumni Affairs in December 2013 after serving in an interim capacity since February of that year, during which, she demonstrated remarkable leadership skills that allowed for a creative and concerted transformation of the entire Alumni program. In partnership with the UCLA Alumni Association Board, Julie has overseen the adoption of a new alumni engagement model that has refocused alumni activity around regional and international work, young alumni involvement, attention to affinity and diversity networks, the continuum from student recruitment to career development and closer ties to alumni efforts in the professional schools and College. Members of the search committee were uniformly impressed with Julie’s dynamic vision for alumni connectivity – both within the campus and with one another. It should come as no surprise that Julie’s long and deep career in Student Affairs and Board leadership prior to her arrival at UCLA evolves naturally into the realm of alumni engagement and Association partnership. Indeed, Julie’s blue and gold spirit and true Bruin values, coupled with her special talent for aligning many moving parts within a common vision made her the standout candidate. Julie served as Chief of Staff supporting the deans and the College prior to joining External Affairs. In addition to Alumni Affairs, Julie leads the Advancement Services division and serves as C.F.O. for the UCLA Foundation and UCLA Investment Company. Julie earned her Ph.D. at Virginia Tech and in addition to Virginia Tech has served the University of Florida, University of the Pacific, Iowa State and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Connect with Julie on UCLA ONE.
Lea Howe
Chief Financial Officer
Lea Howe joined UCLA in February 2012 and took on the role of Chief Financial Officer of the Alumni Association in September 2013. In addition to the CFO role, Lea serves as the Chief Administrative Officer for External Affairs, which includes the departments of Alumni Affairs, Development, Government and Community Relations, and Advancement Services. Lea oversees the operational areas that support alumni engagement and fundraising for UCLA, including application development and project management, finance and business services, gift and data services, fund management, accounting, and treasury management. She serves as the staff liaison for Finance and Audit Committees for the Alumni Association Board of Directors. Lea also works closely with our business development team to build partnerships that provide services to our alumni and generate revenue to support operations. Prior to her time at UCLA, she spent over a decade at Northwestern University, serving as the Senior Director of Operations in the Office of Alumni Relations and Development. Lea holds a BS from the University of Iowa in Health and Human Physiology. Connect with Lea on UCLA ONE.
Directors
Cathy Choi ’96
Cathy Choi is senior director of programs at The Eisner Foundation, overseeing the planning, strategic development and distribution of $7 million in annual grants. She develops grantee relationships during and after the grant-making process and works to build organizational sustainability among the foundation’s partners, promoting innovative practices and creative solutions to social justice challenges in Los Angeles and beyond. Cathy has more than 20 years of diverse professional experience in philanthropy and the nonprofit and public sectors. Before joining The Eisner Foundation, she was a program officer at the California Community Foundation (CCF), managing a number of special grant programs covering issues such as access to health care, arts education, youth programs and historic preservation. Prior to CCF, she was external affairs director at the Korean American Coalition national headquarters where she led advocacy activities on legislative issues affecting the Asian Pacific American communities, such as census outreach and the redistricting process and also served as a deputy to several local and federal elected officials, including former U.S. Representative Xavier Becerra and Los Angeles Unified School District Board Member George Kiriyama. In addition to her professional experience, Cathy’s volunteer service includes leadership roles with Asian American/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy, Southern California Public Radio, Korean American Coalition, the Democratic National Convention (2000) and The Advisory Council on Democratic and Peaceful Unification, Republic of Korea. Cathy received her Bachelor of Arts in Economics from UCLA and Master’s in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Syracuse University. During her days at UCLA, Cathy served as Vice President of Undergraduate Business Society (UBS) and an active leader for various campus ministry and community outreach efforts. Cathy is a UCLA Alumni Association Sustaining Donor. Connect with Cathy on UCLA ONE.
Devon Dickau ’07, MBA ’15
Devon Dickau is a mission-driven, entrepreneurial leader with experience driving large-scale social impact and transformational change in the corporate, entertainment, nonprofit and education sectors. Currently, Devon is the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Offerings Leader for Deloitte Consulting, where he co-leads a $50M+ consulting practice and advises Fortune 500 organizations on DEI, social justice and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues. Devon is a sought-after strategist, executive advisor, author, speaker and facilitator in areas of corporate purpose, sustainability, DEI, talent strategy, leadership, culture, analytics and the future of work, primarily focused on media and technology clients. Prior to Deloitte, Devon's career has spanned the social impact and education spaces, including as an HIV/AIDS community educator in rural Tanzania, a social impact campaign consultant for the entertainment industry, and co-founding, as a UCLA staff member, the Parent & Family Programs department.Devon is a proud double Bruin (B.A. in American literature and culture, as well as an MBA) and also holds an M.Ed. in technology, innovation and education from Harvard, where his research focused on how media and technology empower social change. While attending UCLA Anderson, Devon was a TED UCLA Campfire speaker on the topic of identity covering in the workplace and was named one of Poets & Quants “Favorite MBAs” of 2015 for giving voice to the LGBTQ+ community. In 2018, he was named UCLA Young Alumnus of the Year for his equity work at UCLA and beyond - including as past co-president of the UCLA Lambda LGBTQ Alumni Association. Devon was also previously the co-president of the UCLA Young Alumni Development Council, a board member for the Social Impact Fund, a member of the Emerging Leaders Council for the United Way of Greater Los Angeles and a fellow with New Leaders Council Los Angeles in 2016. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his husband and their twins. Connect with Devon on UCLA ONE.
Samantha D’Souza ’18
Samantha is a creative strategist and producer, currently focused on expanding the global portfolio of act.3 – an international brand activation factory. As a globetrotter and storyteller, she has spent the last six years developing brand identities, communications and content strategies, and communities across the U.S., Australia, Europe and, most recently, South Africa.
Samantha specializes in driving tangible impact through storytelling at the intersection of industries such as entertainment and science, social impact and sport. This focus on creative strategy was born during her time at UCLA, where she was a Fellow at Los Angeles-based social impact agency, Propper Daley, supporting creative marketing campaigns for non-profit clients and public figures in music and entertainment. After graduation, Samantha dove headfirst into Hollywood, where she developed and executed communications strategies for major television networks and built start-up brand identities with BECK Media. In 2020, Samantha returned to Sydney, Australia and founded SPD Creative, where she has been delivering global creative strategies/initiatives alongside agencies such as act.3 and Friends At Work for clients in music, sport, and social impact.
With tangible social impact at the forefront of her professional efforts, Samantha advises social enterprises in Australia that are built and run by ex-refugees and asylum seekers (The Bread & Butter Project, CommUnity Construction). She also co-founded the creative studio Mindful Ambition, which aims to shatter mental health stigma and uplift API voices through media and film. Samantha is a long-standing 3-stripes advocate and former athlete, and has been featured in a variety of adidas Running campaigns alongside her heavy involvement with the global adidas Runners network.
As an ex-international student, former president of the UCLA Student Alumni Association, UCLA Track and Field manager, and UCLA Rec staff member, Samantha appreciates the unquestionable impact of alumni connection on both her UCLA and post-grad experience, and has continued to mentor, advise and embrace her fellow Bruins long since leaving campus in 2018.
Cinthia Flores ’10
Cinthia Flores is a Board Member with the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board. Governor Newsom appointed her to this position in 2020. Cinthia formerly served as a staff attorney with the Coalition for Humane Immigration (CHIRLA), where she practiced immigration law with a focus on removal defense. Cinthia also has a background in labor law, having represented private and public sector unions. Additionally, Cinthia serves as Vice President of the Latina Lawyers Bar Association, an organization dedicated to supporting Latinas in the legal profession. Cinthia also serves as Treasurer of the Latina Lead California, a political action committee dedicated to electing Latinas to local, state and federal office. Cinthia earned her Juris Doctorate at the University of California, Irvine School of Law. During law school, Cinthia served on the University of California Board of Regents. In recognition of her academic record and commitment to public service, Cinthia was awarded numerous scholarships, including the California Bar Foundation Diversity Scholarship, the MABF Law School Scholarship, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund’s Earl Warren Scholarship and the prestigious Peggy Browning Fellowship. Cinthia earned her B.A. in Political Science at UCLA, where she served as the first Latina undergraduate student body president. Cinthia’s recent UCLA involvement includes participating in the UCLA Latino Alumni Association, First Gen Network, Los Angeles Downtown Network and Academic Advancement Program Network. Cinthia was born, raised and resides in Los Angeles, Calif.
Dean Florez ’87
Service driven and politically connected, Dean Florez is the former California Senate Majority Leader. In addition to his service in the California State Senate, he served two terms in the California State Assembly. Currently, Dean serves on the state's climate change agency, the California Air Resources Board and has been an advocate for clean air since his time in the Legislature. Dean is the founder and CEO of Balance Public Relations, a full service strategic consulting firm that supports private and public clients where innovation and regulation intersect. He is one of the most sought after government relations professionals in California. He is a trusted advisor to key internal and external stakeholder groups ranging from executive teams and management, to C-suite executives, boards of directors, investors, and policymakers. Dean has advised Governors, U.S. Senators, and Mayors. In the past decade, Dean has served on many start-up Board of Directors with a focus on financial services companies providing services to underserved populations. He started politics early as the past UCLA Student Body President and past Academic Affairs Commissioner. He was Chairman of ASUCLA during his undergraduate career and was a vocal student advocate on social equity issues, diversity and university governance. Dean holds a bachelor's degree from UCLA and an MBA from the Harvard Business School.
Coretta Harris ’83
Working for both commercial and governmental entities, Coretta Harris leverages the ability to think from a systems perspective to execute systems development processes, ensuring stakeholder needs are satisfied. She is known for her effective systems engineering integration efforts through collaborative leadership and interpersonal skills, communicating fluidly with internal and external contacts at all levels. Key areas of strength are project management, architecture development, functional design, requirements development, requirements analysis, interface development, risk management, as well as requirements verification and validation.
A UCLA Alumni Association Sustaining Donor, Coretta has served in a number of volunteer leadership roles including chair of the UCLA Alumni Association Awards Committee and president of the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering Alumni Association Governing Board. Currently, she is chair of the UCLA Gold Shield Alumnae Faculty Prize Committee and is a consultant to the dean at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, advising her on fundraising, student diversity and alumni engagement. A long-time volunteer for the Bunche Scholarship Screening Committee, Community College Transfer Scholarship Committee and at college fairs, she has established the Coretta Harris Alumni Scholarship Fund for incoming freshman and transfer students majoring in engineering and supports the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering and Women in Engineering Fund.
Matt Kaczmarek ’05
Matt is head of sustainable investing and macro policy research for the global credit team at BlackRock, a leading investment management company. He is a member of the firm’s geopolitical risk steering committee and launched a groundbreaking racial justice initiative within the firm. Prior to joining BlackRock, Matt held senior appointments in the administration of former U.S. President Barack Obama, including as senior advisor to the Deputy National Security Advisor for international economic policy in the White House. He served in the international finance division of the U.S. Treasury Department contributing to the response to the global financial crisis and later as Secretary of State John Kerry’s White House liaison. He began his career as a public policy fellow to the State Treasurer of California. Matt teaches public policy analysis as adjunct assistant professor of public service at NYU’s Wagner School. He has managed or advised eight federal, state, and local candidate and issue campaigns, including as chief economic policy advisor to a leading presidential campaign in the 2020 cycle. Matt serves on the candidate endorsement board of the national LGBT Victory Fund and is a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy and the Council on Foreign Relations. Matt received his BA from UCLA, where he served as Student Body External Vice President and President of the University of California Student Association, and MA from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), where he was editor-in-chief of the SAIS Review of International Affairs. Matt is a member of UCLA’s Chancellor’s Society, Lambda Alumni Association, and the New York and Washington DC Alumni Clubs. Connect with Matt on UCLA ONE.
Ed Lew, J.D. ’98
Ed Lew is assistant chief counsel at The Walt Disney Company, where he provides legal support for technology-related transactions and initiatives. He also co-chairs the Disney Lawyers of Color affinity group.Ed has volunteered with several non-profit organizations, including serving as president of the Asian Pacific Alumni of UCLA, Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County, and OCA-Greater Los Angeles. He is a current officer of the Friends of the Chinese American Museum and OCA National and member of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles’ pro bono advisory council. Ed co-chairs the annual Asian Pacific American Community Holiday Toy Drive, which brings together nearly 20 community groups to provide toys to families in need. He also co-chairs a steering committee that organizes a week-long summer institute, in partnership with Just the Beginning, for high school students of color interested in legal careers. Ed graduated from UC Berkeley and received his J.D. degree from the UCLA School of Law. While at UCLA, he was co-chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Law Students Association and editor-in-chief of the UCLA Asian Pacific American Law Journal. Ed was recognized by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association with its “Best Under 40” award. He also received the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association’s Distinguished Service award, UCLA Alumni Association’s Volunteer of the Year award, UCLA Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Association’s Alumnus of the Year award, Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center’s Community Leadership award, and Chinese-American Elected Officials’ Citizen of the Year award.
Chris MacLaughlin ’83
Chris MacLaughlin is Executive Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer for Kestra Holdings She leads all elements of integrated marketing for an ecosystem of financial firms delivering wealth management solutions for financial professionals with $123B Assets Under Advisement and $53B Assets Under Management.
Previously she served as Chief Marketing Officer of the IBM Partner Marketing Ecosystem. She drove the marketing and communications efforts for the next generation partner ecosystem and IBM’s channel business, with a focus on growing business partner momentum in IBM Cloud and AI technologies. Chris previously served as Chief Marketing Officer for IBM Global Financing where she led the global marketing team, supporting the world's largest IT captive financier, with a total asset base of over $41B and clients in over 60 countries spanning more than 20 industries.
A three-time CMO at IBM, Chris also held a number of worldwide marketing positions in Systems Group, Corporate Headquarters and the Business Partner organization, including leading IBM’s PartnerWorld. Heading IBM partner marketing in Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East, and Africa, she gained significant global experience while living in the United Arab Emirates.
Before joining IBM, Chris was a Partner at Ogilvy & Mather where she focused on brand building advertising for global blue chip companies including American Express, IBM and Time Inc.
A UCLA Alumni Association Sustaining Donor, Christine has been a member of the UCLA Prytanean Alumnae Network for 35 years and has served on the leadership board. While based in the Middle East, she was the UCLA Alumni Network contact in the United Arab Emirates and has participated in the “Dinner for 12 Strangers” program and “UCLA on the Road” events. While an undergraduate at UCLA, she was president of Alpha Chi Omega sorority and was selected for The Order of Omega, a National leadership honor society. Her other volunteer activities include serving as a pro-bono consultant with the IBM Executive Service Corps in South Africa where she focused on economic development, advisory board member for the Fishlinger Center for Public Policy at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in New York, fundraising committee chairman and a member of the New York Junior League, and mentor for the Student Sponsor Partners program in New York, helping high school students reach their highest potential through education. She is also a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts of the USA.
Chris holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from the University of California, Los Angeles. An avid traveler, Chris has visited 65 countries thus far and is excited for more!
Paco Retana ’87, M.S.W. ’90
For nearly 35 years, Paco Retana has been serving the vulnerable youth and marginalized communities in Los Angeles. As a recognized mental health expert and Chief Program Officer at Wellnest, he is responsible for all clinical programs, including strategic planning, program evaluation and training in support of Wellnest’s mission through a holistic approach to emotional well-being. Wellnest offers hope, healing and opportunity to the children, young adults, families and communities they serve. Their commitment remains steadfast as they enter their second century of service. Under Paco's leadership, Wellnest provides quality mental health services, promotes early intervention and ensures easy access for a community in great need by initiating and implementing program changes to meet new funding streams for innovative prevention programs. Additionally, Paco has served as a consultant for numerous community organizations, educational institutions, and foundations including the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, First 5 LA, Watts Gang Task Force, Green Dot Public Schools, the Santa Ana Unified School District, and The California Endowment Sons and Brothers initiative providing professional development training, psychological and facilitation services, counseling, education and crisis intervention. Paco is the former co-chair of the Latino Underserved Cultural Communities for DMH, he is a former voting member of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) System Leadership Team, and former co-chair of the Service Area Advisory Committee for South Los Angeles. Paco serves on the UCLA Order of the Blue Shield and as a Luskin Senior Fellow. He is also a UCLA Alumni Association Sustaining Donor. Paco is the recipient of the Humanitarian Award from the National Conference for Community and Justice and an Honoree of NAMI Urban Los Angeles. Paco earned a bachelor’s in psychology and a master in social work from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Connect with Paco on UCLA ONE.
Natalie Samarjian ’06, J.D. ’12
Natalie is the president and CEO at Coro Southern California. Coro's mission is to strengthen the democratic process by preparing emerging leaders for effective and ethical leadership in public affairs. Under Natalie’s leadership, Coro has developed a new strategic plan, expanded programs, partnerships and revenue, and cultivated a growing community of Coro alumni who are transforming communities across the country. Natalie comes to Coro Southern California from the California Women's Law Center (CWLC), where she worked to address the comprehensive and unique legal needs of women and girls through impact litigation, public policy advocacy and legal education. Prior to CWLC, Natalie was Staff Attorney and Dickran Tevrizian Fellow at Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA), where she provided individual representation to victims of domestic violence, supported impact litigation, including a successful appeal in Montagner v. Montagner, engaged in public policy advocacy, and conducted extensive community outreach and legal education. Before joining NLSLA, Natalie was a labor and employment litigator at Rutan & Tucker, LLP. While at Rutan, she was actively engaged in pro bono efforts, successfully representing an asylum seeker before the Department of Homeland Security. Prior to embarking on her legal career, Natalie was a human capital consultant in Deloitte & Touche LLP's Public Sector practice where she led the firm's National Public Sector Human Capital Community of Practice Initiative. In addition to her UCLA degrees, Natalie earned her master of science at the Heinz School of Public Policy & Management at Carnegie Mellon University. She is an alumnus of the Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs and Emerge California, was a 2017 recipient of the Empowerment Congress’ Emerging Civic Leaders 40 Under 40 award and a 2021 recipient of LA Impact-Makers to Watch. Natalie currently serves on the Los Angeles City Commission for Human Rights and the Los Angeles County Economy and Efficiency Commission. She also serves on the boards of Public Counsel, Heidi Duckler Dance and Emerge California.
Monica Sánchez, M.A. ’04, Ph.D. ’12
Dr. Monica Sánchez is currently serving as mayor and was elected to the Pico Rivera city council in a special election held in November 2019. Before being elected to the city council, Dr. Sánchez was a Planning Commissioner and served four years on the Parks and Recreation Commission for the City of Pico Rivera.
Dr. Sánchez is currently a board member for the Southeast Area Social Services Funding Authority (SASSFA). This public agency provides social services, such as meals, to seniors, and job services to adults and youth at no cost. She served as chair on the Rio Hondo College District Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee, having served two terms. Dr. Sánchez is chair of the Commission for Alcohol and Drugs, where she has been appointed over the past seven years. She has received commendations by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for her exemplary service. She also serves as a board member for the UCLA Southeast Bruins Alumni Association.
Dr. Sánchez earned a doctorate and master's degree in education from UCLA and a bachelor's degree in psychology from U.C. Berkeley and is also an alumna of Rio Hondo College. Dr. Sánchez works as an educator for the Los Angeles County Office of Education and advocates for women, children and public health. She lives in Pico Rivera with her two sons.
Matthew Saucedo ’11
Matt Saucedo leads an Entertainment Partnerships team at Facebook. In this role, he works with Facebook and Instagram’s top film, television, and public figure partners. Before joining Facebook, he was the co-founder and Head of Product for Pupster, and SVOD pet care company. Matt earned an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BA in Communication Studies from UCLA, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Magna Cum Laude with Departmental and College Honors. While a student at UCLA, Matt was a member of the UCLA Fencing Team, which won the Southern California championship in his junior year. He was also a recipient of a Ralph Bunche Alumni Scholarship and actively participated in the Alumni Scholars Club. Matt is a UCLA Alumni Association Sustaining Donor. Connect with Matthew on UCLA ONE.
Jenn Wells ’07
Jenn received her B.A. from UCLA in 2007 in American Literature and Culture and a minor in Education studies. While at UCLA, Jenn was an Orientation Leader, Resident Assistant, and a student leader in the Student Alumni Association. Jenn went on to receive her M.A. degree in Higher Education Administration from New York University and her Doctorate of Education in Organizational Change & Leadership at the University of Southern California. Her dissertation focuses on understanding the organizational influences on college chief diversity officers’ ability to impact institutional change. Jenn’s career in education administration focuses on student leadership with an emphasis on identity development and social justice education. Jenn developed a deep passion for the empowerment of girls, women, non-binary, transgender, and BIPOC students after her work at Mills College, Barnard College, and Scripps College. Her experience in higher education included emergency response, new student orientation, student support services, student government and organizations advising, residential life, and honors programs. Jenn served as a national leader in the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) as a Communications Co-Chair for the Women in Student Affairs Knowledge Community and as a Co-Chair of the MultiRacial Knowledge Community. In the summer of 2020 Jenn transitioned away from higher education, and she currently works as the inaugural Director of Equity and Inclusion for the Marlborough School, a 7th-12th grade independent girls’ school in Los Angeles. In this position, Jenn serves as a chief diversity officer and member of the school’s senior leadership team directing campus-wide leadership, programming, and initiatives aimed at supporting the School’s commitment to inclusion, equity, and accountability. In addition to her formal role at Marlborough, Jenn is an independent consultant providing diversity, equity, and inclusion workshops for higher education and non-profit organizations. Her workshops focus on implicit bias, racial justice, multiraciality, and gender/sexuality inclusion. As a national presenter at conferences such as NASPA and the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity, Jenn’s presentations include topics such as surviving toxic workplace environments and multiracial identity in higher education. As an alum of UCLA, Jenn participated as a host for Dinner for 12 Strangers, attended events hosted by the Bay Area and NYC Alumni networks, and served as an Outreach Chair for the Lambda Alumni Association.
Steve Yu ’95, MBA ’03
Steve is the Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Dean at the UCLA Law School overseeing a $100 million budget and 200+ staff. He received both his bachelors and MBA from UCLA. He is the current president of the UCLA Anderson of Management Alumni LA Chapter. He previously served as President of the Westside Bruins and served on the Board of Directors for ASUCLA. Steve was also awarded the UCLA Alumni of the Year Award in 2017. Steve is a professional public speaker, and has presented to Navy Seals, doctors, business leaders and students at UCLA, USC, Cal State universities, Skechers and multiple non-profits. He MC’d a TEDxUCLA event and was featured in the Toastmasters Magazine for his mentoring work at UCLA. Steve is a co-investor in three Bruin-owned ventures including the Peace & Plenty Resort in the Bahamas, a family-owned cherry farm in Central California, and in a tech startup BUENA LIFE. Steve believes in three core principles of (1) always having a student mentality, (2) continual progress, and (3) paying it forward.
Diana Zschaschel ’92, D.D.S. ’97, Cert. ’99, M.D.E. Cert. ’04
Dr. Diana Zschaschel started her practice in 1999, incorporating her skills in behavioral therapy and hospital dentistry into her private practice. After dental school, she took a position with Children’s Miracle Network, a non-profit organization, providing dental care for the children of migrant workers in Northern California. Diana started Angels’ Smiles with the vision to bring optimum dental and overall quality healthcare to persons with disabilities. She has served on the medical board of directors for the PACE/Headstart program of Los Angeles. In 2001, Diana joined the Army Reserves to assist soldiers and travel for humanitarian missions around the world. In 2004, she was deployed to treat soldiers going to and returning from Iraq. She served as Battalion Commander for the 7452nd Medical Backfill Battalion in San Diego, where she was responsible for five medical, dental and veterinary companies comprising nearly 600 soldiers. She was Dental Consultant to ARMEDCOM division and currently is a Colonel and commander for the 185th Dental Company Area Support in Orange County, where she is responsible for 150 dentists and dental auxiliaries. For many years, Diana served as an Ambassador for the LA area Chamber of Commerce, which named her Volunteer of the Year. In 2007, she received Local Hero of the Year from Union Bank and was featured on KCET’s Hispanic Heritage Month. Diana received the Distinguished Alumna of the Year for Service by Chaminade College Preparatory.At UCLA and St. Vincent’s hospital she worked with medical anesthesiologists to treat severely disabled individuals, enabling them to receive quality dental care. While attending UCLA, she became a behavioral specialist for autistic children and continued to work as a therapist for several years while completing dental school. Following opportunities provided by the UCLA School of Dentistry to work with persons with disabilities, with the help of professors and classmates, Diana started a grassroots campaign with the statewide Special Olympics to provide oral screenings for the athletes. Among other awards, Diana received the Biotene Award for Excellence after completing oral exams of over 300 persons with developmental disabilities for a UCLA Public Health study. Diana is currently involved with the Prytanean Alumnae Association and has been a lecturer at the UCLA School of Dentistry general practice Residency program.
Yolanda Gorman ’78, M.B.A. ’83, Ph.D. ’93
Ex-Officio, Chancellor's Designee
Yolanda Gorman serves as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives at the University of California, Los Angeles. Yolanda supports the work of the Chancellor in a variety of settings including with internal and external constituencies, overseeing Audit and Advisory Services, Campus Audit and Compliance, the Chancellor’s Communications Service, the Chancellor’s Residence and the Chancellor’s administrative staff. She also works closely with vice chancellors and other campus leaders. Previously, Yolanda was president and CEO of Phillips Graduate University, a graduate school of professional psychology and management. She is a two-time Regent Emerita for the University of California, Board of Regents, and the first African American woman to chair the board of the UCLA Alumni Association. Yolanda is a three-time graduate from UCLA with a B.A. in psychology, an MBA and a Ph.D. in educational psychology.
Rhea Turteltaub
Ex-Officio, Vice Chancellor External Affairs
Rhea Turteltaub is the UCLA Vice Chancellor, External Affairs. Appointed in March 2008, she oversees one of the nation’s leading advancement organizations, a diverse and integrated department of over 600 staff comprised of Development, Alumni Affairs, Government & Community Relations, Advancement Services, the UCLA Alumni Association, and the UCLA Foundation. Rhea led The Centennial Campaign for UCLA – which surpassed its $4.2 billion goal 18 months ahead of schedule. The campaign launched publicly in May, 2014 and concluded in December, 2019, right in the midst of UCLA’s 100th anniversary commemoration. During the initiative, nearly 220,000 donors from all 50 states and 98 additional countries contributed more than 574,000 gifts, advancing causes across campus, in communities throughout Southern California, across the nation and around the world. The Centennial Campaign raised a total of $5.49 billion for UCLA, helping to shepherd another century of groundbreaking achievements in teaching, research, and service. Prior to her arrival at UCLA in 1994, Rhea held leadership roles at Otis College of Art and Design and The University of Chicago, as well as campaign positions at the University of California, Berkeley, and her alma mater, Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, where she currently serves on the Board of Trustees.
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