UC San Diego Foundation Announces Incoming Trustees

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• Jade Griffin- [email protected]

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Sherry Bahrambeygui '86 served as CEO of PriceSmart, Inc., from 2018 to 2023, guiding the international retail company through growth across 13 countries, a digital transformation and the launch of e-commerce. A litigator by training, she co-founded the boutique civil litigation practice Hosey and Bahrambeygui, LLP and later led The Price Group, a private investment firm. She has significant governance experience, serving as a director and trustee for public and nonprofit organizations. Bahrambeygui has received awards including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and San Diego's 40 Under 40. She earned her bachelor's degree from UC San Diego and her law degree from California Western School of Law.

Sara Baxter '90

Sara Baxter '90 is chief financial officer of SubCom, a world leader in subsea cable networks. She previously held senior leadership roles at Verizon Communications, including CFO of the Verizon Business Group, overseeing more than $30 billion in revenue. She pioneered strategic initiatives such as Verizon's wireless device-based Asset-Backed Securities program and led the integration of the $26 billion Alltel acquisition. Baxter has been recognized for advancing women in finance through leadership programs and has spoken at national venues including the New York Stock Exchange. She earned her bachelor's degree in Economics from UC San Diego and her MBA from National University. Baxter is also a CPA in New Jersey.

Andy Chedrick

Andy Chedrick is a financial executive and advisor with more than 45 years of experience in accounting, operations and leadership. He previously served as CFO of ServiceNow and Enterprise Partners Venture Capital, and earlier worked in tax and audit management at KPMG and Ernst and Young. Today, he advises family offices and private companies while serving on multiple boards. Chedrick earned his bachelor's degree in accounting from Pennsylvania State University and was a licensed CPA in both Pennsylvania and California.

Mark Gleiberman, Trustee Emeritus

Elected as a trustee emeritus, Mark Gleiberman is the founder and CEO of MG Properties, a real estate investment firm that owns and operates more than 32,000 apartment units valued at over $10 billion across six states. Since founding the company in 1992, he has acquired over 200 communities, successfully navigating multiple economic cycles. Gleiberman began his career as a CPA and has remained committed to philanthropy and civic engagement. He serves on the University of San Diego Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate's Policy Advisory Board, the National Multi-Housing Council Board of Directors, and the UC San Diego Real Estate and Development Advisory Board. He served as a UC San Diego Foundation trustee from 2018 to 2024, and was a member of the Audit Committee.

Alexander A. Khalessi, M.D., Faculty Representative

Serving as the faculty representative to the Board of Trustees, Alexander Khalessi, M.D., is chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine and holds the Don and Karen Cohn Chancellor's Endowed Chair. A board-certified neurosurgeon, he specializes in both open surgical and catheter-based approaches to treat brain tumors, aneurysms, vascular malformations, stroke, Moyamoya disease and carotid disease. He is a nationally recognized leader in neurosurgery, having served as president of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, one of the field's premier academic organizations. Khalessi has published more than 175 peer-reviewed papers, authored over 250 abstracts and presentations, and participated in more than 25 clinical trials.

Shelley S. O'Connor '83

Shelley S. O'Connor '83 is a senior advisor at Morgan Stanley, where she focuses on advancing women's leadership and organizational growth. She spent nearly four decades at Morgan Stanley, rising to the firm's Operating Committee and serving as co-head of Wealth Management. In addition, she held senior roles including chairperson and CEO of Morgan Stanley's U.S. Banks, which she built from inception, and vice chairperson of External Affairs. Over her career, O'Connor helped lead business expansion, modernization and workforce development in the financial sector. She has also served on multiple industry and nonprofit boards.

Miles Palmer, M.A. '78, Ph.D. '80

Miles Palmer, M.A. '78, Ph.D. '80, is an engineer, scientist and entrepreneur whose innovations in energy and technology have been recognized worldwide. He founded 8 Rivers Capital, an energy technology firm that pioneered decarbonized infrastructure, and co-founded NET Power, which develops zero-emission power generation systems. Palmer served as an Air Force flight test engineer and was the youngest officer nominated for astronaut duty. Over his career, he has authored or co-authored more than 700 patents and publications and received awards from the Department of Defense, U.S. Congress and the President of the United States. Palmer earned his master's and Ph.D. in chemistry from UC San Diego after completing dual bachelor's degrees in chemistry and electrical engineering at MIT. Today, he supports UC San Diego startups in aerospace, biotechnology and medicine.

Tim Scott '87

Tim Scott '87 is president and CEO of Biocom California, the largest biotechnology trade organization in the world. He has a long history of founding and supporting UC San Diego spinout companies, including Zacharon, TEGA, LipoNexus, Knoubis Bio, Nerio and Augment. He co-founded TEGA Therapeutics, which develops treatments for lysosomal storage disorders. Scott has served in leadership roles at AustinPx and CONNECT, and sits on boards including Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine and the La Jolla Playhouse. He is also chair of Biocom California, and serves as a member of the Dean's Advisory Council for the UC San Diego School of Biological Sciences, as well as the Green Foundation of Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Scott earned his bachelor's in biochemistry from UC San Diego and his J.D. from the University of San Diego.

Drew Senyei, M.D.

A physician, venture capitalist and private investor, Drew Senyei, M.D., has spent more than three decades building life science and health care companies. He co-founded Molecular Biosystems, one of the region's earliest biotech startups, with UC San Diego faculty in 1980. He went on to support more than 160 emerging companies. Senyei holds 30 patents for health care-related products and has published over 45 peer-reviewed papers. He has also served on more than 25 public and private boards, including Biocom and NuVasive. He serves as co-chair of the Qualcomm Institute (formerly California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology) Advisory Board. He is also a member of the UC San Diego Innovation and Entrepreneurship Council, School of Global Policy and Strategy 21st Century China Center Leadership Board and the Electrical and Computer Engineering Industrial Advisory Board.

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