Speaker Bios

Drea Letamendi, Ph.D.

Associate Director of Mental Health Training, Intervention and Response, UCLA

Dr. Drea Letamendi is a licensed psychologist, mental health trainer, and two-time TEDx speaker with degrees and training from Cornell University, UCSD, and UCLA.  Dr. Drea serves UCLA as a campus mental health leader, which included 3 years as the Interim Director of the UCLA Resilience Center and 8 years as the Associate Director of Mental Health Training, Intervention, and Response in Residential Life. Dr. Drea spearheaded the campus suicide prevention and response program called Suicide Safe, and in Spring of 2025 will serve as the inaugural Director of the UCLA CAPS CORE Program, the campus’s first mobile crisis response initiative for students experiencing mental health related crises. Dr. Drea also has a private practice as a behavioral science advisor for the gaming, visual effects, and entertainment media industries and has written publications about the positive impacts of media engagement on mental health in youth and college-age adults, as covered in the Atlantic, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. She delivers trainings to media companies such as Marvel, Disney, and Warner Bros. Entertainment to help industry leaders use science-backed behavioral health practices on and off screen. For more information about Dr. Drea, her website is drdreapsychology.com. 

Cori Close, M.Ed '95

The Michael Price Family UCLA Women’s Head Basketball Coach

The Michael Price Family UCLA Women’s Head Basketball Coach Cori Close will enter her 15^th season at the helm in the 2025-26 season. She boasts a 321–143 (.692) record in her 14 seasons with the Bruins, claiming 20+ wins in nine of those campaigns.  

A historic year for the Bruins, Close led the 2024-25 UCLA squad to a program record-setting 34 wins and earned the team’s first-ever NCAA Final Four appearance. She was named the Associated Press Coach of the Year and swept the national awards for the stellar season that included a Big Ten Tournament Championship victory over rival USC in March. Close has commanded the Bruins to eight out of the last nine women’s NCAA tournaments; UCLA has made seven Sweet Sixteen appearances under Close. She also won the 2015 WNIT championship at the helm in Westwood. 

Chase Griffin ’21, M.Ed. ’23,  M.L.S. ’24

2024 UCLA Young Alumni of the Year

Chase Griffin co-manages the sports, entertainment, media, and culture investments of the $195 billion University of California investment portfolio, UC Investments oversees the University’s retirement, endowment, and cash assets. 

As quarterback at UCLA, Chase was a trailblazer in the NIL era. He earned recognition as a two-time National NIL Athlete of the Year, Clio Sports Rising Star, and was ranked #1 in deals by Sponsor United for securing over 30 brand partnerships, including JP Morgan Chase and Allstate. 

His prior experience includes roles as Athlete Creator in Residence at Range Sports, Student Executive in Residence at UWG (a WPP affiliate), and Toigo Fellow. 

A triple Bruin, Chase holds a BA in Public Affairs, an M.Ed. in Transformative Coaching and Leadership, and an MLS from UCLA Law. He was named UCLA’s 2024 Young Alumnus of the Year. 

Paco Retana ’87, M.S.W. ’90

President, UCLA Alumni Association

For nearly 35 years, Paco Retana (he/him) 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.

Rhea Turteltaub

UCLA Vice Chancellor of External Affairs

Rhea Turteltaub is UCLA’s Vice Chancellor of External Affairs. Appointed in March 2008, she oversees one of the nation's leading advancement organizations, a diverse and integrated department comprised of Alumni Affairs, Development, Advancement Services, Government & Community Relations, Employee & Organizational Engagement, as well as the UCLA Alumni Association, and the UCLA Foundation.

Over the course of 7.5 years, Rhea led the $5.49 billion Centennial Campaign for UCLA – which concluded in December, 2019 – in the midst of the university’s 100th anniversary celebration. Harnessing the success of this groundbreaking effort, Rhea’s leadership is now focused on planning and executing UCLA’s next milestone campaign.

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 recently concluded 12 years of service on the Board of Trustees.

Jenn Wells ’07, Ed.D.

Chief of Staff, UCLA Alumni Engagement

Jenn Wells, EdD (she/her), is a proud UCLA alumna and leader in organizational change and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), with over a decade of experience driving transformative initiatives across educational and nonprofit sectors. Currently serving as the Chief of Staff for Alumni Engagement at UCLA, she aligns cross-functional teams to advance strategic priorities, deepen community impact, and foster inclusive engagement. 

Jenn served for three years on the UCLA Alumni Board, where she also co-chaired the Diversity Advisory Committee. With a doctorate in Organizational Change and Leadership from USC, her dissertation explored organizational resistance faced by chief diversity officers, providing insights into navigating and dismantling systemic barriers. 

Her career in education administration includes designing and implementing organizational culture strategies, coaching leaders on inclusive practices, and building capacity for sustainable change. Jenn is passionate about integrating belonging and equity into institutional strategies, ensuring that engagement efforts are grounded in accessibility, cultural responsiveness, and long-term impact.