SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the appointments of Elaine E. Batchlor, Carmen Chu, Ana Matosantos and Mark Robinson to the University of California Board of Regents, and the appointments of Leslie Gilbert-Lurie and Jose Antonio Vargas to the California State University Board of Trustees. “These leaders from diverse backgrounds, walks of life and California regions bring a broad swath of expertise and experience to our world-class colleges and universities at a pivotal time for our state,” said Governor Newsom. “I look forward to continuing our work in partnership with the state’s higher education leaders to expand access to more students, create debt-free pathways, eliminate equity gaps and increase opportunities for the next generation of leaders to achieve their dreams and build a brighter future for our state.” The Governor announced the following appointments today: University of California RegentsElaine E. Batchlor, M.D., 64, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the University of California Board of Regents. Batchlor has been Chief Executive Officer at MLK Community Healthcare since 2012. She was Chief Medical Officer at L.A. Care Health Plan from 2004 to 2012, and Vice President and Program Officer at the California Health Care Foundation from 1999 to 2003. Batchlor is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and serves on the boards of the California Hospital Association, Insure the Uninsured Project, and the Editorial Board of Health Affairs. Batchlor earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and a Master of Public Health degree from UCLA’s Fielding School of Public Health. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Batchlor is a Democrat. Carmen Chu, 44, of San Francisco, has been appointed to the University of California Board of Regents. Chu is City Administrator for the City and County of San Francisco. She served as the elected Assessor-Recorder from 2013 to 2021, District 4 Supervisor at the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 2007 to 2013 and served in the Mayor’s Office of Public Policy and Finance from 2004 to 2007. Chu earned a Master of Public Policy degree from the University of California, Berkeley. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Chu is a Democrat. Ana Matosantos, 46, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the University of California Board of Regents. Matosantos has been Cabinet Secretary in the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom since 2019. She was President of Matosantos Consulting from 2013 to 2018 and joined the Newsom transition team in 2018. Matosantos was Director of the California Department of Finance from 2009 to 2013 and Chief Deputy Director for Budgets from 2008 to 2009. She was Deputy Legislative Secretary for Health and Human Services and Veteran Affairs in the Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from 2007 to 2008. She served in several positions at the California Health and Human Services Agency, including Assistant Secretary for Programs and Fiscal Affairs and Associate Secretary for Legislative Affairs from 2004 to 2007. Matosantos was Human Services Consultant at the Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review from 2002 to 2004. She was a Consultant at the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services from 2000 to 2002. She was a California Senate Fellow from 1999 to 2000. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Matosantos is a Democrat. Mark Robinson, 57, of Kentfield, has been appointed to the University of California Board of Regents. Robinson has been a Partner at Centerview Partners since 2009. Previously, he worked at Merrill Lynch & Co. from 1998 to 2009. Robinson is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Board of the College of Letters and Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, the Board of Trustees of the UC Berkeley Foundation and the Board of the Thacher School. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard University. This position requires Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Robinson is registered without party preference. California State University Board of TrusteesLeslie Gilbert-Lurie, J.D., 62, of Los Angeles, has been appointed to the California State University Board of Trustees. Gilbert-Lurie has been a self-employed Author since 2009. She was a Consultant for the formation of Geffen Academy at the University of California, Los Angeles from 2013 to 2014. Gilbert-Lurie was a Consultant at Walt Disney Television and USA Network from 1995 to 1999. She was Vice President at National Broadcasting Company from 1986 to 1995. Gilbert-Lurie was an Associate at Manatt Phelps, Rothenberg and Tunney from 1985 to 1986. She was a 9th Circuit Law Clerk at the U.S. Court of Appeals from 1984 to 1985. Gilbert-Lurie earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. She is a National Finance Committee member on the Democratic National Committee. Gilbert-Lurie is a member of the UCLA Foundation Board, the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Board, and the UCLA School of Law Board of Advisors. She is co-founder and member of the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Children’s Rights. She is also a member of the International Board of Directors of Human Rights Watch, the Pacific Council on International Policy and the Writers Guild of America. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Gilbert-Lurie is a Democrat. Jose Antonio Vargas, 41, of Berkeley, has been appointed to the California State University Board of Trustees. Vargas is Founder and Key Strategic Consultant at Define American, where he has worked since 2011. He was Senior Contributing Editor at the Huffington Post from 2009 to 2010. Vargas was a Reporter for the Washington Post from 2004 to 2009. He was City Desk Reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle from 2000 to 2004. Vargas serves on TheDream.US Advisory Board. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Vargas is not registered to vote.
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