The University of California announced today (July 7) the reappointment of Regent Richard Leib as chair of the UC Board of Regents and Regent Gareth Elliott as the Board’s vice chair. Chair Leib and Vice Chair Elliott were selected for their leadership roles by their fellow Regents and will serve one-year terms starting on July 1, 2023.
Chair Leib is the president and CEO of Dunleer Strategies, a San Diego-based strategic consulting firm specializing in emerging companies. Leib has served as the Board’s leader since March 2022 when former chair Cecilia V. Estolano’s term as a Regent ended. In addition to his work leading Dunleer Strategies, Chair Leib co-founded Liquid Environmental Solutions, a pioneering company focused on developing non-hazardous liquid waste recycling, where he served as executive vice president and general counsel. Leib also worked in a number of federal and state government positions, including on the staff of state Senators Gary K. Hart and Herschel Rosenthal, and for Congressmen Henry Waxman and Mel Levine.
“I am honored to serve as chair to the Board of Regents for a second year and to be a part of the positive impact that UC has on the lives of Californians every day. I look forward to partnering with President Drake and my fellow Regents to pursue goals of expanding equitable access to a quality education at UC for more Californians and supporting the diverse communities that we serve. Higher education is one of the primary pathways to economic mobility, and the University is focused on securing the necessary investments, in partnership with the state of California, to allow even more hardworking, qualified Californians to attend UC in the years ahead,” said Leib.
Chair Leib was appointed to the UC Board of Regents for an eight-year term in 2018 by Gov. Brown. Leib’s previous public service work in education includes 10 years on the Solana Beach School Board, where he served as Board President for two years. Leib was also an appointee of Gov. Gray Davis to the Community College Board of Governors from 1999-2005, serving as President of the Board from 2001-2003. He holds a J.D. from the Loyola University School of Law, an M.A. from Claremont Graduate School, a Fellowship with the Coro Foundation, and a B.A. from UC Santa Barbara.
“Regent Leib is a devoted advocate for the University of California, helping chart the University’s direction and advocating for the critical resources our system needs to thrive,” said Michael V. Drake, M.D., president of the University of California. “I appreciate and value our strong collaboration, and look forward to our ongoing efforts to expand UC’s positive impact on California and the communities we serve.”
Regent Gareth Elliott was named vice chair of the Board of Regents for a second year. Vice Chair Elliott has served in a number of governmental policy roles in California, including as legislative affairs secretary to Gov. Jerry Brown from 2011-2015, policy director to California State Senator Alex Padilla from 2008 to 2011, as well as policy director and deputy chief of staff to California State Senate President pro Tempore Don Perata from 2004 to 2008. He currently works as a partner at Sacramento Advocates, Inc.
“I am grateful for the trust and confidence placed in me by my fellow Regents and I look forward to continue working alongside them to champion access, academic excellence, and innovation at the University of California. As a long-standing Board member, I am committed to fostering an environment of intellectual curiosity, diversity, and equity, and believe that through education, we can empower our students to become leaders, innovators, and agents of positive change,” said Elliott.
Vice Chair Elliott earned his B.A. degree from Humboldt State University. He was appointed as a Regent in 2015 by Gov. Brown to a term ending in 2025.
2023-24 appointed chairs for the board’s standing committees include:
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Regent Michael Cohen, chair of the Finance and Capital Strategies Committee
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Regent Jay Sures, chair of the Compliance and Audit Committee
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Regent Lark Park, chair of the Academic and Student Affairs Committee
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Regent John A. Pérez, chair of the Health Services Committee
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Regent Janet Reilly, chair of the Public Engagement and Development Committee
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Regent Mark Robinson, chair of the Investments Committee
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Regent Jose Hernandez, chair of the National Laboratories Committee
Members of the Board of Regents are volunteers and serve without compensation. You can find additional information about the Board here.