JAMES L. DOTI
President, professor of economics
Chapman University, Orange
Born in Chicago
Age: 66
Lives in Villa Park
WHY: Has been president of OC’s largest private university for 22 years. The 12th president in school’s 152-year history.
HOW: Studied economics at University of Illinois, Chicago; earned master’s and doctorate degrees in economics from the University of Chicago. Joined Chapman faculty in 1974, founded A. Gary Anderson Center for Economic Research in 1978. Appointed dean of Argyros School of Business and Economics in 1985. Became president in 1991. Has held Chapman’s Donald Bren Distinguished Chair in business and economics since 1999. Continues econometrics- and education-oriented research while serving as president.
RECENT: Oversees Chapman’s continued expansion and growth plans, including recent launch of School of Pharmacy—first such institution in OC. School will be set up in Chapman’s new health sciences campus at Irvine Spectrum, where the university recently bought two R&D buildings. Campus also will include physician assistant program and graduate studies in physical therapy. Broke ground in September on Marybelle and Sebastian P. Musco Center for the Arts. Completion of 1,050-seat performing arts center expected in 2015. University has plans for new science building, currently in fundraising phase. No. 6 in U.S. News & World Report rankings for colleges in Western region, up from No. 7.
PERSONAL: Co-author of econometrics textbooks. Co-editor of texts that received the Templeton Honor Award for Scholarly Excellence. Published second children’s book, Jimmy Finds His Voice, earlier this year. Marathon runner for more than a decade. Has completed nearly 50, including seven Boston Marathons. Was qualified to run this year in Boston but had to cancel. Wrote two articles for Marathon and Beyond magazine in the past year. Founder of Chapman/Toyota of Orange 5K Run. Has climbed four of the Seven Summits: Argentina’s Mount Aconcagua, Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus in Russia and Mount Vinson in Antarctica. Recently adopted new dog, Angel, from German Shepherd Rescue of OC. Started raising three hens in backyard for eggs and entertainment.
—Jane Yu
MICHAEL DRAKE
Chancellor
University of California, Irvine
Born in New York
Age: 62
Lives in Irvine
WHY: Head of OC’s most influential university and second-lar-gest employer. Fifth chancellor for 48-year-old school.
HOW: Earned medical degree from UC San Francisco. Spent more than 20 years as professor of ophthalmology, senior associate dean of School of Medicine there. Named vice president for health affairs for UC system in 2000. Oversaw 15 health sciences schools on seven campuses. Founded California Health Benefits Review Program. Ap-pointed chancellor of UCI in 2005.
RECENT: UCI continues to gain increasing recognition and higher ratings. Times Higher Educa-tion ranked UCI No.1 in the U.S. and No. 4 in the world among top universities younger than 50. Drake oversaw establishment of UCI School of Education, finalized with regents’ approval in July. Education school, which previously had been ranked as department, moved up six spots to No. 37 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2014 ranking of “Best Graduate Schools.”
UCI began search for new executive vice chancellor last fall, as Michael Gottfredson left the role to become president of University of Oregon. Filling the spot on interim basis is Susan Bryant. UCI’s law school held first graduation last May. Inaugural class had second-highest bar pass rate in California. UCI overall ranked No. 44 among U.S. universities by U.S. News, up from No. 45 last year. Drake cites state budget cuts as major challenge to school that continues to grow.
PERSONAL: Serves on boards of California Healthcare Institute and California Health-Care Foundation. Director of Common-wealth Fund in New York and member of Blue Ridge Academic Health Group at Emory University in Atlanta.
Serves on NCAA Division 1 board of directors. Received 2013 OC Human Rights Commis-sion Award. Recently named board member of Tiger Woods Founda- tion in Irvine, along with other high-profile OC businesspeople, including fellow OC 50er Peter Ueberroth. Co-teaches freshman seminar with law school dean, Erwin Chemerinsky, on music and civil rights movement. Enjoys spending time with granddaughter. Hobbies include riding his racing bicycle.
—Jane Yu
MILDRED GARCÍA
President
Cal State Fullerton
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Age: 61
Lives in school’s C. Stanley Chapman House, Fullerton
WHY: New president at largest local university. First Latina president in Cal State system.
HOW: Lifelong career in education and research. Taught in higher-ed institutions for more than 30 years, including several years at Montclair State University and Arizona State University. Served as president of Berkeley College in New Jersey from 2001 to 2007. President of Cal State Dominguez Hills from 2007 to 2012. Bachelor’s in business education from Bernard Baruch College of CUNY. Master’s in business education and higher education from NYU, doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University.
RECENT: Had inauguration ceremony in February. Determined to take entrepreneurial and strategic approach in locating resources for school, also to tap more funding from private sources. Established President’s Strategic Fund, which has raised more than $150,000 in pledges and gifts so far. García said she wants to be more involved in OC community to “strengthen and build new friendships.”
PERSONAL: Will receive Woman of the Year award by Mexican American Oppor-tunity Foundation at its 35th National Latina Conference this week. Recently recognized by California Legislative Women’s Caucus as among 11 inaugural honorees receiving “Breaking the Glass Ceiling” awards. Member of American Council of Education and American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education. Serves on President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence of Hispanic Americans. Founding board member of National Council for Community and Education Partnerships. On the advisory board for Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education. Author: Succeeding in an Academic Career; co-author of Assessing Campus Diversity Initiatives and Transforming the First Year of College for Students of Color. García calls parents heroes. Holds on to roots of immigrant family from Puerto Rico. First in family to go to college, worked way through as secretary.
—Jane Yu
