GUEST SPEAKERS
Kristen F. Soares
President, Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU)
Kristen Soares is the fourth president of AICCU. Soares works in partnership with leaders around the state to shape policy for California’s independent colleges and universities. Under her leadership to advance new policy initiatives to address the needs of today’s students, AICCU adopted an agreement with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office to adopt the Associate Degree for Transfer pathway, a groundbreaking program to improve community college transfer for students. Soares has an extensive background in higher education, policy, administration, and governmental advocacy. Before coming to AICCU, Soares spent nearly 25 years at the University of Southern California (USC). She served as the senior associate vice president for government relations and civic engagement, where she provided strategic direction and leadership for USC’s government and community relations offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento, and Washington, D.C.
Alex Graves
Vice President for Government Relations, AICCU
Alex Graves is the chief lobbyist and is responsible for legislative advocacy and public policy leadership in support of independent higher education. Graves serves as the liaison between AICCU and the Governor’s Office, the California Legislature, California Student Aid Commission, and other public bodies. Prior to joining AICCU, he worked as the legislative advocate at the California State University Office of Advocacy & State Relations, where he staffed legislation pertaining to admissions, financial aid, K-12 and teacher preparation, student basic needs, and transfer.
Thomas Vu
Vice President for Policy, AICCU
Thomas Vu develops and manages the execution of AICCU’s agenda on state and federal policy. This includes outreach and engagement responsibilities with federal and state policymakers; providing original policy development; and cultivating and managing the internal and external stakeholders required for successful policy development and implementation. Vu leads AICCU’s federal advocacy—engaging with Congress, the U.S. Department of Education, and national higher education associations—and manages the association’s communications efforts. He also represents the independent higher education sector on the governing board of the Cradle-to-Career Data System Office, staffs the AICCU Education Deans and Directors Council, and liaises with the state’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing and the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.
Pamela Ong
Director of Data and Research, AICCU
Pamela Ong joined AICCU in June 2021 and serves as the Director of Data and Research. She oversees data collection, analysis, and reporting to support AICCU’s policy and advocacy efforts, while incorporating data to inform decision-making and highlight the contributions of the sector. Ong advocates for policies that benefit students and institutions at both the state and federal levels. She has extensive experience in postsecondary education, particularly within the independent sector, and has held roles in institutional research, financial aid, and planning. In addition to her work at AICCU, she serves on the CAIR Board of Directors and the State National Information Network Advisory Committee.
Karen Hofmann
President, ArtCenter College of Design
When Hofmann assumed the ArtCenter presidency on July 1, 2022, she captured several culturally significant milestones as the first woman, alumna and Provost to hold the position. Some of her most significant accomplishments include recruiting an experienced executive leadership team, creating a more cohesive and inclusive Chairs Council, leading a process to envision the "Future of Education 2030" and overseeing an academic realignment. That realignment has centralized academic administrative oversight under five divisions led by deans, allowing academic leaders to focus on curriculum development, faculty recruiting and student academic experience. Hofmann helped lead the College through the pandemic, including leading the pivot to a remote teaching and learning environment and ensuring a safe return to campus.
G. Gabrielle Starr
President, Pomona College & Chair, AICCU Executive Committee
Starr took office as the 10th president of Pomona College in 2017 with a track record of promoting greater access to higher education. As dean of New York University’s College of Arts and Science, she had led the development of new cohort and first-year programs and launched a partnership with New York City’s largest community college. A Pomona College professor of English and neuroscience, Starr was appointed the McConnell Professor of Human Relations in 2022. Starr served on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s California Higher Education Recovery with Equity Taskforce, charged with envisioning a new approach for post-secondary education preparation and workforce readiness as the state recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sandra Barone
Senior Manager, Trellis Strategies
Trellis Strategies is a strategic research and technical assistance firm dedicated to advancing postsecondary education and strengthening the workforce by delivering unparalleled insights into the student experience, from application through graduation. With over 40 years serving higher education institutions and helping students navigate complex processes, Trellis Strategies’ dedicated team has the knowledge and experience to help organizations turn data into action and action into results.
Alberto J. Román
Chancellor, Los Angeles Community College District
The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce is the largest business association in Los Angeles County, representing member companies and serving the interests of more than 235,000 businesses across the Los Angeles region. Salinas took the helm of the organization in August of 2018 and became the first woman and Latina to lead the Chamber in its 132-year history. An accomplished business woman, entrepreneur and a determined community leader, Salinas’ business acumen and financial expertise provides her with the right experience to lead the L.A. Area Chamber.
Maria S. Salinas
President & CEO, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
The Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce is the largest business association in Los Angeles County, representing member companies and serving the interests of more than 235,000 businesses across the Los Angeles region. Salinas took the helm of the organization in August of 2018 and became the first woman and Latina to lead the Chamber in its 132-year history. An accomplished business woman, entrepreneur and a determined community leader, Salinas’ business acumen and financial expertise provides her with the right experience to lead the L.A. Area Chamber.
Ann McElaney-Johnson
President, Mount Saint Mary's University
Dr. Ann McElaney-Johnson is the 12th president of Mount Saint Mary’s University, the only women’s university in Los Angeles with nearly 70% first-generation students to attend college. With more than 35 years of experience in higher education, she is nationally recognized as a thought leader in the advancement of women, innovative teaching, and student success. Since her inauguration in 2012, she has championed a transformative vision that fosters academic excellence and purpose-filled leadership, grounded in the traditions of the University’s founding Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and their mission.
Devorah Lieberman
President Emerita, University of La Verne
Dr. Devorah Lieberman is a highly accomplished executive, scholar, and influencer in higher education. She has led vision and strategy in areas of education, healthcare, workforce development, technology, crisis management, financial sustainability, leadership, fundraising, and intercultural communication. For over 12 years, as the first female President of the University of La Verne, Dr. Lieberman led the 135 year-old institution to become a beacon of innovation and impact. She developed pathways for students from all socioeconomic backgrounds to access higher education and be prepared to excel in the current and future workforce.
José A. Gómez, Ph.D.
President, Pasadena City College
Dr. José A. Gómez is a higher education leader dedicated to expanding student opportunity. Before joining Pasadena City College, he served as executive vice president, provost, and chief operating officer at Cal State LA, where he advanced initiatives such as the downtown campus, the Prison B.A. Graduation Initiative, and the Cal State LA BioSpace incubator. Under his leadership, enrollment and graduation rates climbed, and the university was recognized as a “Champion of Higher Education for Excellence in Transfer.” A first-generation college student from the San Gabriel Valley, Dr. Gómez began at Mt. San Antonio and Citrus Colleges before earning degrees from Cal Poly Pomona and USC. He has also served in state higher education policy roles, taught at several colleges, and contributed to numerous boards, reflecting his commitment to education and community.
Mark Milliron
President, National University
Dr. Mark David Milliron is an award-winning leader, author, speaker, and consultant who works with universities, community colleges, K-12 schools, foundations, corporations, associations, and government agencies across the country and around the world. He serves as President and CEO of National University (NU), one of the largest private, nonprofit universities in the United States. NU has a 50-year history of innovating around the needs of military, working, and nontraditional students. In addition to his work with NU, Dr. Milliron helps catalyze positive change in education through his service on the boards and advisory councils of leading-edge education organizations, including the Trellis Foundation; Bennett College; the Global Online Academy; Civitas Learning; the Mastery Transcript Consortium; and ISKME/Open Education Resource Commons. He also holds an appointment as a Professor of Practice in the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin.
Olga Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Director, PPIC Higher Education Center
As center director for the Public Policy Institute of California, Dr. Rodriguez works with a team of researchers to identify programs and policies to help make the state’s higher education system more successful, equitable, and sustainable. Her own research focuses on college access and success among underserved students. Her recent work has examined statewide reforms to developmental education, English as a second language, dual enrollment, and assessment and placement systems in California’s community colleges.
Kevin Mojica
Nursing Student, Pasadena City College and Azusa Pacific University
Mojica is pursuing his associate degree in nursing at Pasadena City College concurrently with his Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Azusa Pacific University through the RN to BSN Integrative Enrollment Pathway. He currently works as a nursing attendant at Kaiser Permanente Downey Medical Center, providing direct patient care since January 2026. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from California State University, Northridge. Mojica expects to complete both nursing degrees in December 2026 and plans to start his career in an intensive care unit through a new graduate residency program.
Krista Newkirk
President, University of Redlands
Under Newkirk's leadership, the University of Redlands has advanced a vision centered on access, innovation, sustainability, and community impact. Newkirk has successfully completed two mergers during her five years at Redlands. Most recently, she guided the successful merger with Woodbury University, expanding academic offerings and strengthening the university's presence throughout California. She has championed initiatives that strengthen connections between its campuses and the communities they serve, including investments in regional transit access, community-centered development, and partnerships that enhance the region’s educational, cultural, and economic vitality. Among her notable accomplishments is a major solar energy upgrade on the Redlands campus, which provides more than 30% of the campus's energy needs while advancing the institution's long-term sustainability goals.
Assemblymember John Harabedian
(D-Pasadena)
Assemblymember Harabedian serves as the representative for California’s 41st Assembly District, which includes the cities of Bradbury, Claremont, La Cañada Flintridge, La Verne, Monrovia, Pasadena, San Dimas, Sierra Madre, and portions of Hesperia, Rancho Cucamonga, and Upland. Born and raised in Sierra Madre, he began his public service journey as a city councilmember in 2012. He was re-elected in 2016 and served twice as Mayor. He has served as a prosecutor for the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office and worked with leading institutions such as Latham & Watkins, Stanford’s Immigrants’ Rights Clinic, and the Equality Pro Bono Project.
Ravi S. Rajan
President, California Institute of the Arts
Rajan is the fourth president of California Institute of the Arts. Prior to joining the Institute in 2017, he lived and worked in New York City for 18 years. A teacher and leader with a reputation for developing innovative and visionary initiatives, he held various leadership roles at Purchase College, State University of New York (SUNY Purchase), and taught students at the Norman (Oklahoma) Public Schools, the University of Oklahoma, and Yale University. While he plays the trumpet and holds degrees in music and education from Yale and the University of Oklahoma, his professional creative practice is as an artist, producer, and director of large-scale works. He has worked collaboratively on time-based, interactive, performance, and public work, developing projects that flow across disciplines. These works engaged various publics through biennales and festivals, and have been featured by institutions in more than 20 countries