UC Systemwide Campus Climate Convening Presenters

Natalie Alpert

Natalie Alpert, as executive director for Federal Government Relations at UC San Diego, is responsible for planning and implementing the university’s government relations and advocacy efforts in Washington, DC. She began her career on Capitol Hill where she served as a senior aide focused on higher education, science and research policy for Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-Los Angeles). Natalie also worked for Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and served as a professional staff member on the U.S. Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. Natalie received her undergraduate degree from UCLA and a master's degree in Public Administration from New York University (NYU).  

Dyonne Bergeron

 

Dyonne Bergeron, UC Irvine’s vice chancellor of the Office of Inclusive Excellence, is an equity-driven change maker, DEI strategist and bridge builder dedicated to fostering inclusive, equitable environments where all can thrive. At UC Irvine, she leads with strategic vision and authentic purpose, advancing equity-minded leadership, shaping inclusive policies and championing initiatives that cultivate belonging and social justice.

With more than 25 years of experience in higher education, Dr. Bergeron brings deep expertise in diversity, equity and inclusion strategy; leadership and curriculum development; crisis management; community building and the recruitment and retention of diverse communities. Her collaborative and empathetic leadership style inspires collective action toward a shared vision of inclusive excellence.

Nationally recognized for her impact, she has been honored for convening over 4,000 participants through The Power of Community initiative and has received multiple accolades for her leadership. Dr. Bergeron is known for inspiring others to lead with courage, compassion and purpose.

Karen Biestman

Karen Biestman is the assistant vice chancellor for Student Equity and Inclusion at UC San Diego, bringing more than 30 years of experience in higher education.

At Stanford, she served as associate dean and director of the Native American Cultural Center and taught in Native American Studies in the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, the Stanford Law School, and at the Stanford Design School. Before that, she held similar academic and student affairs leadership roles at UC Berkeley. AVC Biestman also previously served as director of Indian Education for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX, in San Francisco, where she developed a national curriculum on Working Effectively with Tribal Governments. 

As a member of the VCOT executive leadership team, she oversees the eight campus community centers and programs and co-leads the Dialogue for Peace Initiative to cultivate a campus culture of care through Indigenous Peacemaking practices.

Akirah Bradley-Armstrong

Akirah Bradley-Armstrong was appointed vice chancellor for the Division of Student Affairs and Success at UC Santa Cruz in May 2022. She leads nearly 800 student affairs professionals, supporting students’ experiences beyond the classroom with a focus on equity, institutional responsibility and holistic success. 

Before UC Santa Cruz, she served as vice chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she also taught in the Higher Education master’s program. Akirah brings extensive experience in closing equity gaps, expanding access and building community for underrepresented students, as well as innovative leadership in housing and dining programs.

She has held leadership roles at CU Boulder, UC Berkeley, the University of Vermont and Semester at Sea and is active nationally through NASPA. A first-generation college student, she holds degrees from UC Davis, the University of Vermont and Mansfield University, and she has over 23 years of experience supporting student success and well-being.

Tongshan Chang

Tongshan Chang is the director of Institutional Research and Academic Planning at the University of California Office of the President, where he leads a team that provides analytical support for UC leadership in areas such as undergraduate admissions, student experiences, basic needs, campus climate and student success. He earned a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from West Virginia University. Tongshan has more than 20 years of experience in institutional research and frequently presents his institutional research at California Association for Institutional Research (CAIR) conferences, the Student Experience in the Research University Symposium and other professional forums. Tongshan has also served on various regional and national professional committees, including as chair of the Overseas Chinese Association for Institutional Research, Treasurer of CAIR and a member of the Data Policy Advisory Group of the Association for Institutional Research.

Cynthia Dávalos 

Cynthia Dávalos serves as associate vice president for Graduate, Undergraduate and Equity Affairs (GUEA) at the University of California Office of the President. As a seasoned higher education professional, much of her 28-year career has been with the University of California system. 

Cynthia has an extensive background in launching and supporting campus and systemwide initiatives in undergraduate and graduate student success, student outreach and access, and equity and inclusion strategies and policies. She has worked closely with university leaders to navigate crises, economic downturns and leadership transitions. She has led several division-wide strategic planning efforts and accountability processes. She also served as adjunct faculty in the Department of Post-Secondary Educational Leadership at San Diego State University where she has stewarded the careers of many emerging student affairs and higher education professionals. 

Michelle N. Deutchman

 

Michelle N. Deutchman is the inaugural executive director of the UC National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement (Center). In this role, she oversees the Center’s operations, programming and research, including its multidisciplinary national fellowship program. As a national expert on the First Amendment in higher education, Michelle facilitates workshops for staff, students and administrators at conferences, colleges and universities across the country. 

Before joining the Center, Michelle served for 14 years as western states civil rights counsel and national campus counsel for a national civil rights organization. In this position, she developed subject matter expertise on hate crime laws, training thousands of local, state and federal law enforcement officers.

Deutchman earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

Richard Edwards

Dr. Richard L. Edwards is executive director of the XCITE Center for Teaching and Learning at UC Riverside. He is an educational innovator and leader committed to advancing inclusive pedagogy and research into online education, educational technology and advanced instructional media. He is co-editor of the upcoming book, “Multipedagogies for College Teaching: Lessons from an Innovative Faculty Learning Community at the Intersection of Teaching, Learning and Technology” (Routledge, Fall 2026). He is also co-PI on a Department of Education $4 million-dollar grant exploring civic discourse: The Civic Openness, Reasoning, and Engagement (CORE) Incubator. He is also currently on the Organizing Committee for an international AI in Education convening, The Futures Conference, which will be held next year at UC Riverside.

Renetta Garrison Tull 

Renetta Garrison Tull is vice chancellor for Inclusive Excellence and an adjunct professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at UC Davis. She leads initiatives advancing inclusive excellence across the university and is a passionate mentor and advocate in STEM, committed to empowering students and professionals worldwide.

Previously, Tull served as associate vice provost for Strategic Initiatives at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Director of Graduate and Professional Pipeline Development for the University System of Maryland (USM), founding director of the NSF’s PROMISE AGEP, and co-director of USM’s LSAMP, promoting STEM degrees for historically underrepresented students. She has delivered workshops and lectures nationally and internationally and earned national recognition for her work in diversity. Tull holds a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from Howard University and a master’s and Ph.D. in speech science from Northwestern University.

Monroe Gorden, Jr.

 

Monroe Gorden, Jr. serves as vice chancellor for Student Affairs at UCLA, where he leads over 20 departments dedicated to student success, inclusion and well-being. A Bruin alumnus, he has spent more than a decade advancing the University of California’s core pillars of teaching, research and public service as an educator and administrator. 

Monroe began his professional career as a civil litigation attorney and later served as in-house counsel for publicly traded companies before returning to UCLA in 2006 where he served in multiple senior leadership roles. 

Passionate about student leadership development, Monroe prioritizes programs that build lifelong skills and foster meaningful engagement. He has also advanced campus accessibility through his work in ADA/504 compliance. He holds a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA, a J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law and an executive certificate from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. 

Yvette Gullatt

 

Yvette Gullatt serves as vice president for graduate and undergraduate affairs; vice provost for equity, diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer for the University of California system.   

She oversees systemwide programs, services and initiatives that maximize baccalaureate and graduate degree attainment, including outreach and educational partnerships, student affairs, financial aid, undergraduate admissions, graduate studies, teacher education and teacher professional development and online education. As chief diversity officer for the university, she leads institutional strategy to further UC’s aspirations as a diverse, equitable and inclusive institution for students, faculty and staff.

Marcelle Hayashida

 

Dr. Marcelle Hayashida is associate vice chancellor for Wellness, Health & Counseling Services under Student Affairs at UC Irvine. She oversees Campus Recreation, CARE, Campus Social Work, Child Care, the Counseling Center, Disability Services, Student Health and Student Wellness & Health Promotion. She also chairs the campus’s threat assessment team. Dr. Hayashida is a licensed clinical psychologist in California and a national board-certified health and wellness coach and has worked in a variety of settings — including private practice and college counseling centers — as faculty and in administrative roles. Her research and publications focus on African American mental health, Black women in higher education and college student mental health, and she presents broadly on topics that include Black women's mental health, college mental health and working in student affairs. She holds undergraduate degrees in French and psychology from Vassar College and a master's degree and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Michigan.

Eric Heng

 

Eric Heng (he/him/his) serves as director of Student Policies and Governance (SPG) at the University of California Office of the President. In this role, he leads the development and implementation of student policies, including the systemwide policy framework — the Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations and Students (PACAOS) — and works with campus leaders to support consistent student conduct and engagement practices across the UC system. 

Eric partners with Student Affairs leadership and elected student leaders, facilitating engagement with the UC Student Association (UCSA), the UC Graduate and Professional Council (UCGPC) and the UC Council of Presidents. His work focuses on advancing policies that promote student success, uphold community standards and support a positive campus climate. 

Eric joined UCOP in 2007. He holds a B.A. from UC Santa Barbara and an M.Ed. from UCLA. 

Sylvia Hurtado

 

Sylvia Hurtado is a distinguished professor of Education and special advisor to the chancellor at UCLA. As a higher education scholar, she has written extensively on the campus racial climate, STEM pathways for underrepresented groups and institutions engaged in transforming their culture and practices. Her co-edited books “Hispanic Serving institutions: Advancing Research and Transformative Practice” (Routledge Press) and “The Magic Key: The Educational Journey of Mexican Americans from K-12 to College and Beyond” (University of Texas Press) won International Latino Book Awards. She introduced and has taught intergroup dialogue for 18 years to build students’ skills for a diverse democracy. Her early engagement as a first-generation college student led to roles in college admissions and student support programs and to an interest in research as a tool for empowerment. She is on the board of the National Academy of Education and is president-elect of the American Educational Research Association. 

Ralina Joseph

Ralina L. Joseph is vice provost of Inclusive Excellence and professor of African American Studies at UCLA. Her career spans over two decades of advancing inclusive excellence in higher education. At the University of Washington, she served as professor of Communication and associate dean of Equity & Justice, leading initiatives for over 17,000 graduate students and founding the Center for Communication, Difference, and Equity, known for programs like Interrupting Privilege, which fosters transformative conversations on race and power.

Dr. Joseph is the author of four books, including “Racial Exhaustion: How to Move through Racism in the Wake of DEI” (NYU Press, 2025), and her research focuses on the intersectional nuances of racialized communication, Black representation, multiracial identity and women-of-color feminism. She is widely recognized for her concept of “strategic ambiguity” in postracial discourse. A celebrated mentor and public scholar, Dr. Joseph has received numerous awards and is a frequent speaker nationwide.

Genie Kim

Genie Kim is the director of Student Mental Health and Well-being at the University of California Office of the President. Dr. Kim holds a doctorate in Social Work from the University of Southern California and a master’s degree in public policy from California Polytechnic State University. With more than a decade in higher education, she designs and scales equity-focused initiatives that strengthen student well-being and success. She leads UC efforts to advance student basic needs and to build an ecosystem of financial stability so that students can grow and thrive. She also champions the UC Equity in Mental Health Initiative, guiding a holistic framework to foster a campus culture of well-being and belonging. Outside of work, she enjoys creative design, traveling with her family and hiking with her two dogs.

Fabrizio Mejia

 

Fabrizio Mejia is a transformative leader in higher education, deeply committed to equity, transformation and justice. He currently serves as interim vice chancellor for Equity and Inclusion at UC Berkeley, and in his permanent role as associate vice chancellor for Student Equity and Success, he oversaw programs including the Basic Needs Center, the Disabled Students Program and Equity and Inclusion STEM programs. 

Throughout his career, Fabrizio has been instrumental in building sustainable infrastructure for equity, developing state and national models for basic needs, undocumented students and formerly incarcerated students. He spent 12 years serving low-income, first-generation and underrepresented undergraduates in UC Berkeley's Educational Opportunity Program.  

As a first-generation Latinx alumnus of UC Berkeley, Fabrizio's commitment to equity is rooted in both professional experience and lived understanding, reflecting his belief in the transformative power of education.

Elizabeth Moon

Elizabeth Moon serves as director of Workplace Inclusion and Belonging at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), where she leads equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives that foster a culture of engagement, respect and accountability. She brings a collaborative, community-centered approach shaped by a career dedicated to building inclusive environments across education and organizational settings. Prior to joining UC ANR, Elizabeth was chief diversity officer and associate director of Career Development at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, where she advanced equity, diversity and inclusion strategy; launched the Action for Diversity community and supported global talent in achieving professional success. Her earlier work includes teaching and program development with diverse and international communities, including through Teach for America and higher education. Elizabeth holds a master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language from California State University, Sacramento, and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from George Washington University.

Meena Morey Chandra

Meena Morey Chandra joined UC as its inaugural Systemwide Anti-Discrimination director in May 2025. A key member of the Systemwide Office of Civil Rights (SOCR), she provides education, investigation and resolution guidance, as well as strategic support related to UC’s Anti-Discrimination Policy.

Prior to joining UC, Ms. Morey Chandra had a nearly 27-year career at the U.S Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) where she served across six presidential administrations. In her final position with OCR, she was an enforcement director and a member of the Senior Executive Service where she oversaw the three of twelve regional offices: Chicago, Kansas City and Dallas. Responsible for overseeing federal civil-rights law enforcement for 15 states, she led about 125 employees.

Before joining OCR, Ms. Morey Chandra was in private practice where she worked as a class-action litigator. Ms. Morey Chandra earned a bachelor’s degree and her juris doctorate from Cleveland State University.

Becky R. Petitt

 

Becky R. Petitt is the vice chancellor for Organizational Transformation at UC San Diego. With over 30 years of progressive leadership, Dr. Petitt has been a transformative force in higher education, driving meaningful change across institutions. She led the creation of UC San Diego’s first Strategic Plan for Inclusive Excellence, which is acknowledged as a national exemplar for facilitating sustainable institutional change. As a dedicated scholar-practitioner, Dr. Petitt provides vision and leadership, and she partners with faculty, staff and students to maintain UC San Diego’s highest ideals in its pursuit of preeminence. She is a nationally recognized consultant specializing in equity in higher education, organizational learning and organizational change. Her influence extends across higher education and beyond. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and received both a master’s and Ph.D. in Higher Education from Texas A&M University.

Anju Reejhsinghani

 

Anju Reejhsinghani is the inaugural vice chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer at UC Santa Cruz. In that role, she leads strategic efforts to assess and enhance campus climates, strengthen inclusive practice, promote community engagement and belonging and expand access to all. Prior to joining UC, she was assistant vice provost for Strategic Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Administration and executive director of the Institute for Regional and International Studies at the University of Wisconsin—Madison and a tenured associate professor in history and international studies at the University of Wisconsin—Stevens Point. Her research specialties are modern Cuba; U.S.-Cuba relations; and intersections of race, gender, diaspora and sport in the Americas. Her work has appeared in “Muhammad Ali in Africana Cultural Memory,” “The World of Jim Crow: A Daily Life Encyclopedia,” “Dictionary of Caribbean and Afro-Latin American Biography” and the Journal of American Ethnic History.

Pablo Reguerín

 

Pablo Reguerín is the vice chancellor for Student Affairs at UC Davis, where he champions holistic student support and equity-focused initiatives. Since joining in 2020, he has led major investments in mental health, basic needs, advising and paid internships, securing over $17 million in grants and setting fundraising records annually. Previously, he served as associate vice chancellor for Student Success at UC Santa Cruz, leading Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) initiatives and overseeing $16 million in federal grants. Dr. Reguerín holds an Ed.D. from UC Davis and degrees from UC Santa Cruz and Columbia University.

Kari Stewart

Kari Stewart serves as associate vice provost of Academic Success Initiatives at the University of California Office of the President, where she provides leadership for systemwide efforts advancing educational equity and student success through research, policy and innovation. She has led strategic initiatives including the feasibility study for a new UC standardized admissions test; implementation of college and career transition tools for the statewide Cradle-to-Career Data System; the Campaign for Transfer Excellence and a systemwide partnership with Hillel International.

Kari brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in education, spanning the developmental continuum from infancy through adulthood, with a sustained commitment to historically underrepresented populations. She has held multiple senior leadership roles, including positions in Student Affairs at UC San Francisco and at WestEd, a national nonpartisan research, development and service organization.

Kari earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and psychology from the University of California, Irvine, and holds a master’s degree in education administration and policy analysis from Stanford University.

Elisabeth Yap 

Elisabeth Yap is senior principal counsel in the University of California Office of the President’s Office of General Counsel. She advises the university in areas including equity, diversity and inclusion; speech and expression; and antidiscrimination. Prior to joining the university in 2011, Liz was vice president of litigation at NBC Universal and an assistant attorney general for New York State, enforcing civil rights laws.

Liz currently also is special advisor to the vice provost/vice president of Graduate Undergraduate and Equity Affairs at UCOP, focusing on campus climate issues and strategies, including the teaching of discourse/dialogue skills at the university.