Kilolo Brodie
Dr. Kilolo Brodie-Crumsey is a professor of Social Work at California State University, Stanislaus. Her research agenda is grounded upon equity and advocacy for disenfranchised groups. Scholarly projects have focused on: interagency collaboration between universities and social service agencies; Down syndrome and families of color; and ethnographic studies involving indigenous and historically marginalized populations.
For a span of ten years, she was appointed by California governors Edmund G. Brown, Jr. and Gavin Newsom to the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD). During her SCDD tenure, she chaired the State Plan Committee and was an Executive Committee member. Dr. Brodie-Crumsey is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She received her Ph.D. in Social Work from Howard University, obtained her MSW from Stan State, and bachelor’s degree from Clark Atlanta University.
Ronald Carter
Ronald Carter, Ph.D., serves as the CEO and President of Carter & Associates, a consulting firm specializing in higher education and nonprofit leadership development, based in High Point, North Carolina. His extensive career includes significant roles in academic leadership, executive search, executive coaching, and community development, making him a prominent figure in the field of higher education.
From 2009 to 2025, Dr. Carter was a Presidential Sage in the American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows Program, where he prepared senior leaders to serve in American colleges and universities. Between 2018 and 2021, he worked as an executive search consultant with AGB Search LLC., assisting institutions in recruiting academic and administrative leaders.
His expertise encompasses leadership development, board development for higher education and nonprofit organizations, executive searches, coaching, team building, scenario planning, strategic planning, institutional advancement, and civic engagement. Throughout his career, Dr. Carter has been actively involved in board development, community engagement strategies, and executive searches across the United States and South Africa.
Dr. Carter served as President of Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) in Charlotte, North Carolina, from 2008 to 2017. During his tenure, he transformed JCSU into Charlotte’s leading independent new urban university and a key institution in the city’s Northwest Corridor. His leadership helped position the university as a vital community anchor.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Carter held several notable positions, including Dean of Students at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa (1991-1997), where he contributed to the university’s transformation during South Africa’s post-apartheid era. He also served as Provost at Coker College in Hartsville, South Carolina, where he developed with the faculty new academic programs and fostered partnerships with academic affairs, community agencies, and foundations to address local needs.
Recognized for his expertise in board process improvements and assessment, Dr. Carter has facilitated development retreats for numerous institutions, including California Western School of Law, Mount Mercy University, Bennett College, and others. His efforts have consistently aimed at enhancing board effectiveness and institutional governance.
Dr. Carter began his higher education career at Boston University, where he held roles such as Director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center, Dean of Students, and adjunct Associate Professor of Philosophy. He was the first Black senior administrators at the University of the Witwatersrand, where he held positions including Health Services Development Unit Senior Administrator, Deputy Registrar, and Dean of Students.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology and philosophy from Morehouse College, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. He further obtained a Master of Theology and a Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from Boston University.
Ronald Carter is a native of High Point, North Carolina. He has two adult children: River Tumelo Rosalind, residing in Reading, England, and Cory Demetrius Carter, based in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Carter is also an ordained minister affiliated with the American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts.
Wenda Fong
Wenda Fong is a producer, director, creative executive, and community leader with credits on hundreds of television programs, from award shows and live spectaculars to sitcoms, talk shows, documentaries, and PSAs. She has launched productions across the United States and worldwide, and holds the distinction of being the only woman and first person of color to produce The Emmy Awards.
Joining Fox in 2001 as its first Vice President of Creative Diversity Development, Wenda was appointed in 2002 to oversee American Idol, helping it become a groundbreaking ratings phenomenon. In 2003, she was promoted to Vice President of Alternative Entertainment, supervising all reality series and specials for over 13 years, including American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Hell’s Kitchen, MasterChef, and The X Factor, representing thousands of hours of programming.
Wenda is co-founder and chairperson emeritus of CAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment), the largest and most influential organization for AAPIs in the industry. She also co-founded Asian Americans for Fair Media, served on the boards of the Association of Asian Pacific American Artists, East West Players, California Humanities, Leaders Forum, and is a member of the Producers Guild of America, Television Academy, and Directors Guild of America (founding co-chair and chairperson emeritus of its Asian American Committee).
Appointed by Governor Jerry Brown in 2018 to the California State University Board of Trustees, Wenda became its first Asian American chair (2022–2024). She was reappointed by Governor Gavin Newsom for another term, continuing her leadership in higher education.
Melawhy Garcia
Melawhy Garcia is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Science at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), Director of the Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation, and Leadership Training, and a newly appointed Endowed Chair of Health Literacy and Health Communication in the College of Health and Human Services.
She has experience with multidisciplinary epidemiological and applied research through her work at the Center for Latino Community Health as well as SDSU’s Institute for Behavioral and Community Health and the South Bay Latino Research Center. Her research program includes a variety of methodological approaches to examine the multidimensional factors that contribute to health disparities among underserved racial/ethnic minority and low-income populations with an emphasis on cardiometabolic health risk factors and diabetes among Hispanics/Latinos. She has received external funding from numerous federal and local agencies to focus on chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS prevention, tobacco education and cessation, and student experiential learning programs.
She received a B.A. in Psychology and an M.P.H. in Community Health Science from CSULB. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego/ San Diego State University (UCSD/SDSU) Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health with an emphasis in Health Behavior Research. She also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Women’s Cardiovascular Research Center in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health at UCSD. She has experience with multidisciplinary epidemiological and applied research through her work at the Center for Latino Community Health as well as SDSU’s Institute for Behavioral and Community Health and the South Bay Latino Research Center. Her research program includes a variety of methodological approaches to examine the multidimensional factors that contribute to health disparities among underserved racial/ethnic minority and low-income populations with an emphasis on cardiometabolic health risk factors and diabetes among Hispanics/Latinos. She has received external funding from numerous federal and local agencies to focus on chronic disease prevention, HIV/AIDS prevention, tobacco education and cessation, and student experiential learning programs.
Mildred Garcia
Chancellor
The California State University
Dr. Mildred García began her tenure as the California State University’s 11th chancellor on October 1, 2023. She is the first-ever Latina to lead the nation’s largest and most diverse four-year public university system. Indeed, she is the first Latina in the nation to lead a four-year public higher education system.
The appointment marks a return to the CSU for Dr. García, who served as president of Cal State Fullerton from 2012 to 2018, during which time she led the university to record improvements in graduation rates and nearly tripled new philanthropic gift commitments. She also served as president of CSU Dominguez Hills from 2007 to 2012, where she held the distinction of being the CSU’s first Latina president. At CSU Dominguez Hills, she dramatically increased retention rates for freshman and transfer students and eliminated a structural deficit of $2.8 million.
Prior to her appointment as chancellor, Dr. García served as president of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) since 2018, where she was a strong and internationally renowned advocate for public higher education, working to influence federal policy and regulations on behalf of 350 member colleges and universities. She is the first Latina to lead one of the six presidentially based higher education associations in Washington, D.C. During her tenure at AASCU, she directed a strategic agenda that focused on public college and university leadership for the 21st century and provided professional development opportunities for presidents, chancellors and other public higher education leaders.
Dr. García previously served as the CEO of Berkeley College, where she was the first systemwide president for all six campuses in New York and New Jersey. She has held both academic and senior-level positions at Arizona State University; Montclair State University; Pennsylvania State University; Teachers College, Columbia University; and the Hostos, LaGuardia and City Colleges of the City University of New York.
A recipient of myriad awards and honors, Dr. García was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve on several advisory boards, including the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, and by the U.S. Secretary of Education to serve on the Committee on Measures of Student Success. In September 2024, she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. And in February 2025, Dr. García was honored with the prestigious TIAA Institute Hesburgh Award for her outstanding leadership of the CSU and positive impact on higher education more broadly.
Dr. García was raised in New York City by her parents, who moved to New York from Puerto Rico. A first-generation college student and the first in her family to earn a degree, she received her associate degree from New York City Community College, a bachelor’s in business education from Bernard M. Baruch College and a master’s in business education from New York University. At Teachers College, Columbia University, she earned a master’s and a doctorate in higher education administration.
José Hernandez
Former NASA Astronaut; Inspiration for Amazon Prime Movie "A Million Miles Away"; Entrepreneur; Farmer; Author
From harvesting crops across California to collecting data in space, astronaut and motivational speaker Jose Hernandez has led a remarkable life. Now a highly popular speaker, Jose Hernandez inspires audiences with his story of resourcefulness, self-purpose, and perseverance.
Jose is also a very popular speaker for schools and universities celebrating the Hispanic Heritage month. His motivational story and STEM advocacy is perfect for younger audiences.
Born into a migrant farming family in Stockton, California, Jose Hernandez spoke only Spanish until age 12. He spent those years on a long circuit up the length of California, harvesting crops from March to November. Growing up on the move gave Hernandez a special kind of self-determination. His parents made sure that no matter how many times he changed schools, no matter how dicey the neighborhoods he lived in, Jose stayed focused and driven to learn.
With a tremendous work ethic built in the sweltering California fields, Hernandez excelled in college. His graduate work in electrical engineering helped secure Hernandez a job at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. There, he helped develop an x-ray laser and the world’s first full-field mammography system.
But Hernandez had grown up gazing in wonder at the stars. At age 42, older than most rookie astronauts, Hernandez joined the 19th class of US astronauts. Five years later, he served as the flight engineer on NASA’s two-week-long STS-128 mission.
In 2023, Amazon Prime premiered a biographical film titled A Million Miles Away, chronicling José’s journey from a humble immigrant laborer to an accomplished engineer, and eventually, an astronaut. The film draws inspiration from his 2012 memoir, Reaching for the Stars: The Inspiring Story of a Migrant Farmworker Turned Astronaut, highlighting his unwavering determination, sense of community, and self-sacrifice in pursuing an extraordinary dream.
He has also been the recipient of numerous awards including NASA Service Awards (2002, 2003), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory “Outstanding Engineer Award” (2001), Upward Bound National TRIO Achiever Award (2001), U.S. Department of Energy “Outstanding Performance Commendation” (2000), Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists (MAES) “Medalla de Oro” recipient for professional and community contributions (1999), Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award, “Outstanding Technical Contribution” (1995).
Kurt Organista
Kurt C. Organista, Ph.D., is Professor, School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, where he studies Latino psychosocial and health problems. He teaches courses on race, ethnic relations & social welfare, as well as social work practice with Latino populations. He conducts research on HIV prevention with Latino migrant laborers, is editor of the book HIV Prevention with Latinos: Theory, research and practice, published in 2012 by Oxford University Press, and author of Solving Latino Psychosocial and Health Problems: Theory, Research, & Practice (2nd ed.), also published by Oxford University Press in 2023.
He serves on the editorial boards of the American Journal of Community Psychology, the Hispanic Journal of the Behavioral Sciences, and the Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work. From 2004-2008 Organista was appointed to the Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council at the National Institutes of Health, and from 2010 to 2015 he was Principal Investigator of a federal R01 grant from the NIAAA to develop and test a structural environmental model of alcohol-related HIV risk in Latino migrant day laborers in the San Francisco Bay Area. Organista served as trustee of the Latino Community Foundation (2015 to 2022), and as trustee and Vice Chair of the San Francisco Community Foundation (2008 to 2018). In 2018, he received the Leon Henkin Citation for Excellence in Mentoring Underrepresented Students, and in 2020 he was named the American Cultures Teacher of the Year. Also, in 2020, Organista was inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, and in 2021 he was awarded the Harry and Riva Specht Endowed Chair in Publicly Supported Social Services.
Katherine Erolinda Perez
Katherine Erolinda Perez is the President of Nototomne Cultural Preservation and the Chairwoman of the Northern Valley Yokut/Ohlone Tribe.
Katherine has devoted over 30 years to protecting sacred sites and preserving the cultural heritage of her ancestral California territories, including the Bay Area, Central Valley, Silicon Valley, and various surrounding cities. As a registered Most Likely Descendant (MLD) on the Native American Heritage Commission list, she works to prevent disturbance of ancestral remains and artifacts, fosters relations with public organizations, and leads efforts toward federal recognition and sustainability education for her tribe. She continues vital repatriation and cultural stewardship despite ongoing challenges.
She ensures that the stories, traditions, and heritage of her people are carried forward for generations. Katherine utilizes the two non-profits she founded and her lifelong commitment as a testament to the resilience of the Yokut People. She has worked tirelessly and diligently throughout her career and personal life toward the goal of federal recognition for the benefit of her tribe while preserving her ancestors’ sacred sites.
In 1995, she developed Repatriation, Inc. in response to the demand for cultural monitoring and the expansion of urban development. In 2000, Repatriation, Inc. was retired, and Nototomne Cultural Preservation was created in its place to continue the legacy of properly repatriating the tribe's ancestors. This necessary work continues to be challenged by private sectors and the federal government, but Katherine continues to strive to overcome barriers and ensure the protection of sacred sites and burial grounds.
She has volunteered and has been asked to educate within the local school systems, speak to a variation of audiences and has occupied and provided input for ongoing projects within these ancestral lands.
Ora Hirsch Pescovitz
Dr. Pescovitz has more than 30 years of experience in health centers, industry and universities where she has been responsible for creative innovations, entrepreneurial discovery and strategic planning. She is a renowned pediatric endocrinologist and investigator who has published more than 190 papers and books. She is a sought-after speaker on a range of topics, including education, leadership, healthcare and women’s issues. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine.
Ora is the president of Oakland University, a doctoral research institution with more than 16,000 graduate and undergraduate students. Since becoming president, she has increased student and academic success, scholarship and community engagement and has focused major efforts on diversity, equity, inclusion and sustainability. Under her leadership, the campus has grown, the entrepreneurial spirit and philanthropy have increased and reputation has been enhanced, as manifest by numerous regional and national awards.
Dr. Pescovitz earned her medical degree from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine where she was awarded Distinguished Alumni Awards from both the Feinberg School of Medicine and Northwestern University. Her primary research has focused on the physiologic and molecular mechanisms responsible for disorders of growth and puberty, and the development of novel therapies for these conditions. She has received numerous awards for research, teaching, and leadership including being named a Distinguished Hoosier, a Sagamore of the Wabash by Indiana’s Governor; she was named one of Detroit Crain’s Newsmakers of the Year, Top 25 Women in Healthcare, the Distinguished Leadership award from the Endocrine Society, the Lifetime Achievement award from the Human Growth Foundation, Crain’s 100 Most Influential Women, WJR Radio 2025 Women Who Lead Honoree, Crain’s Detroit Business 2025 Inaugural Who’s Who, Michigan Business Women Hall of Fame, 2023 Inaugural Flagstar Strand Theatre Strand Century Awardee, 2023 Michiganian of the Year, 2023 Citizen’s Research Council of Michigan Eugene A. Gargaro, Jr. Public Service Award, 2025 Community House - Birmingham Grand Gala Grand Honoree and the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester Women’s Fund 25th Anniversary Honoree.
During her extensive 21-year career at Indiana University, she served as Executive Associate Dean for Research Affairs at the School of Medicine, President and CEO of Riley Hospital for Children, and interim Vice President for Research Administration at Indiana University.
From 2009-2014, she was the University of Michigan’s Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and Health System CEO. In this role, she led a system that included three hospitals, more than 120 health centers and clinics, and the University of Michigan Medical School. She oversaw $3.3 billion in revenue and $490 million in research funding.
From 2014-2017, Dr. Pescovitz was Eli Lilly and Company’s Senior Vice President and U.S. Medical Leader for Lilly Biomedicines, where she was responsible for real world evidence-based research and relationships with large health systems.
Dr. Pescovitz served as president of the Society for Pediatric Research, the nation’s largest pediatric research organization; president of the North American Pediatric Endocrine Society, and chair of the March of Dimes Grants Review Committee. She also served on the University of Florida Health System Strategic Cabinet, Anthem-Lilly Joint Research Governance Council, and Advancement Council of the Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health. She also served on the boards of the Hormone Foundation, National Association of Children’s Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI), Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Advisory Board for Clinical Research and the Board of Life Technology (prior to its sale to Thermo Fisher).
Among others, Dr. Pescovitz currently serves on the Boards of Priority Health and the Detroit Economic Club. She is the chair-elect of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Board, Co-Chair of the Detroit Drives Degrees Leadership Council, and MBX Biosciences, Inc. Board of Directors, where she chairs the Nominating and Governance Committee and the past chair of the Michigan Association of State Universities and the Horizon League.
Her late husband, Dr. Mark Pescovitz, was a renowned transplant surgeon at Indiana University. She is a proud mother to three children, three in-law children, and nine grandchildren. Her partner, Dr. Daniel Walsh is a cardiologist in the Corewell Health System.
Danielle "Dani" Rankin
Serves as Secretary of the Staff Council and Student Accounts & Systems Control Specialist for Housing and Residential Life at Stanislaus State. Since 2020, she has supported student success through resident engagement, financial literacy, and a commitment to strengthening the campus community.
Cheryl Sweeten
Serves as Chair of Staff Council and Program Analyst for College Corps at Stanislaus State. As a member of the campus community since 2007 she has and continues to support student success and strengthening the university community.
Updated: September 29, 2025