Cathy A. Sandeen, a UCLA alumna who recently served as UC Santa Cruz vice provost and dean of University Extension and Summer Session, has been appointed dean of UCLA Continuing Education and UCLA Extension. Her appointment, which is effective immediately, was made by UCLA executive vice chancellor and provost Daniel Neuman.

"We are honored to have one of our own assume responsibility for the academic, administrative and strategic operation, as well as community outreach, of UCLA Extension," said Neuman. "Cathy's business discipline, coupled with her broad cultural and academic background and her talent as a collaborator, makes her uniquely qualified to lead UCLA Extension, the UC's flagship continuing education program."

UCLA Extension is one of the nation's leading and most comprehensive university-based institutions for continuing education and lifelong learning. Founded in 1917, UCLA Extension offers some 4,500 courses and programs, helping 60,000 adults advance their diverse goals for career, academic and personal educational development.

"I am incredibly excited to be joining UCLA," said Sandeen. "UCLA Extension is a very innovative and entrepreneurial organization. Having served in the field of continuing education within UC for 16 years, I resonate with Extension's mission of providing high quality educational opportunities and access to any and all members of the community."

Under Sandeen's leadership, UC Santa Cruz's Extension/Summer Session has built strong relationships with businesses and community organizations throughout the Silicon Valley, creating alliances that benefit many programs across the university. The dean's advisory board that Sandeen created includes executives of Cisco Systems, Apple Computer and Intuit, as well as representatives of semiconductor firms, a biotechnology start-up and the City of San Jose.

Previous to UC Santa Cruz, Sandeen held several posts at UC San Francisco, including director and then assistant dean of Educational Support Services in the School of Dentistry, and management services officer and then assistant director of Continuing Dental Education.
Sandeen received an M.B.A. from the UCLA Anderson School of Management and holds a doctorate in communications from the University of Utah, a master's in broadcast communication from San Francisco State University and a bachelor's in speech from Humboldt State University.

Since 2000, Sandeen has served on the University Extension Council of Deans for the UC system. She also has held teaching posts at Mills College, Santa Clara University, San Jose State University, San Francisco State University, Stanford University and the University of Utah.

Sandeen succeeds former UCLA Extension Dean Robert Lapiner, who now serves as dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at New York University. Sandeen will earn an annual base salary of $178,500.