The University of California Board of Regents today (Wednesday, July 16) welcomed Charles Melton and Karl Tokita as 2026-27 UC alumni regents. They will serve this year as regent-designates. Their one-year terms as full voting UC alumni regents will begin on July 1, 2026.
Charles Melton graduated from UC Davis in 2008 with a B.A. in political science. He earned his Master of Public Affairs degree from UC Berkeley in 2025. He is currently the director of public policy and research for global car-sharing platform Turo. Prior to joining Turo, he held advocacy roles at various Silicon Valley firms as well as the University of California Office of the President. He is the founder of Sausalito Pride and was the first openly gay president of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association at UC Davis. His term as alumni regent-designate began on July 1, 2025.
“Growing up in the Central Valley, I saw how powerful a UC education could be in creating change,” said Alumni Regent-designate Melton. “I’ve been fortunate enough to earn two degrees from the University of California, the most recent of which I received just this past June. Serving as alumni regent is a full-circle moment — a chance to give back to the institution that has shaped so much of my life and to help ensure that future students have access to the same high-quality, transformative education.”
Joining Melton as an alumni regent-designate is Karl Tokita. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from UCLA and a master’s from UC Irvine’s Merage School of Business. For the past 20 years, he has worked in the Orange County medical community. He is a founding member and the current chief operating officer of KSK Medical, a provider of imaging and outpatient surgical services. He is an alumni board member for UC Irvine. His term as alumni regent-designate also began on July 1, 2025.
“I appreciate the chance to draw on the full range of my experiences as an entrepreneur and philanthropist to promote the future of higher education in California,” said Alumni Regent-designate Tokita. “I’m looking forward to serving as a bridge between the UC alumni community and the UC system.”
In addition to their roles as alumni regent-designates, Mr. Melton and Mr. Tokita will join the Alumni Association of the University of California (AAUC) as secretary and treasurer, respectively, for the 2025-26 academic year. Starting on July 1, the AAUC will be led by two new Alumni Regents: Brian Komoto as president and Ann Wang as vice president.
Komoto is a graduate of UC San Francisco’s School of Pharmacy (Class of 1981). After graduation, he and his wife Mary purchased a small pharmacy in Delano, Calif., that has grown into a hub for health care and community in the San Joaquin Valley. Komoto Pharmacy currently includes six outpatient operations and employs over 150 people.
“As a new voting member of the Board of Regents, I am excited to have an opportunity to represent my community in the San Joaquin Valley,” said alumni Regent Komoto. “I hope to ensure that UCs remain accessible for all Californians and look forward to bringing my perspective to the Board of Regents as a community and business leader.”
Wang, a graduate of UCLA (Class of 2013), also began her one-year term as UC alumni regent on July 1, 2025. As a senior at UCLA, she co-founded Enrou, a socially-conscious online marketplace. Since graduating, her consulting practice has worked to integrate modern technology in shifting perceptions around mental health, education, and global poverty. She has been named a Forbes “30 Under 30” social entrepreneur, investor, and consultant.
On joining the UC Regents at this pivotal time in higher education, Alumni Regent Wang said, “I’m looking forward to the work of expanding our impact, not just sustaining what makes UC great, but communicating our purpose clearly, committing to our public mission, and pushing for innovation in how we deliver on it, especially in an era shaped by rapid technological change.”
You may find more information about the Board of Regents’ policy on appointing alumni regents here.