UCLA Alumni Association board welcomes new officers and members for 2026–27

The UCLA Alumni Association board of directors has elected three new members and four officers whose terms began July 1. The volunteer-led board is made up of alumni who partner with alumni affairs staff to advance the association's mission of enriching the lives of alumni worldwide and engaging them in UCLA's future.

The board's new president, Cinthia Flores, serves as a quasi-judicial officer adjudicating state labor law matters on the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board, having been appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020. Prior to her appointment, she practiced immigration law at the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA). Flores earned her bachelor's degree in political science from UCLA in 2010. She has served on the Alumni Association board of directors since 2020 and previously held the roles of president-elect and vice president. She will serve for a two-year term, succeeding Paco Retana, who will serve as immediate past president and as the alumni regent on the University of California Board of Regents.

Devon Dickau will serve as the board's new vice president. He is the head of future of work at Google DeepMind, where he collaborates with business leaders to address people and culture challenges in support of responsible AI development and business performance. Previously, Dickau spent nearly a decade at Deloitte Consulting, advising Fortune 500 companies on corporate purpose, sustainability, ESG, DEI, and talent and organizational strategy, with a focus on media and technology clients. He earned his bachelor's degree in American literature and culture in 2007 and his master of business administration degree from UCLA Anderson School of Management in 2015. Dickau has served on the Alumni Association board of directors since 2022.

The board's new secretary, Sonia Das, is principal attorney at the law offices of Sonia Das, where she focuses on nonprofit organizations and estate planning. She also advises and supports nonprofit organizations in legal and governance matters, helping strengthen their organizational capacity and community impact. She earned her bachelor's degree in history from UCLA in 1990. Das has served on the Alumni Association board of directors since 2024.

The new treasurer, Chris MacLaughlin, is executive vice president and chief marketing officer at Kestra Holdings, where she leads integrated marketing strategy for a network of financial firms serving wealth management professionals. She previously served as chief marketing officer for IBM Partner Marketing Ecosystem and IBM Global Financing, leading global marketing initiatives across cloud, AI and financial services. MacLaughlin earned her bachelor's degree in communications studies from UCLA in 1983. She has served on the Alumni Association board of directors since 2019.

One incumbent director was reelected for another term, and three directors were elected to new terms. The reelected and newly elected directors of the UCLA Alumni Association board are:

• Austin Berke is a founding engineer at Harmonic AI, where he builds and supports a data platform used by leading venture capital firms and enterprises. He previously worked as a software engineer at Microsoft. He earned his bachelor's degree in computer science from the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering in 2019. He joins the Alumni Association board of directors this year as a new member.
• Sonya Brooks is a scholar, public servant, community builder and higher education leader whose work is rooted in educational access, student well-being and institutional transformation. She is also the CEO and founder of Beautiful Girls Garden and We Are Our Mothers' Gardens, where she develops STEM, well-being and leadership programming for girls and young women. Brooks earned her bachelor's degree in history and African American studies at UCLA, her master's degree in public health from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health in 2025 and her doctorate in education policy from the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies in 2026. She joins the Alumni Association board of directors this year as a new member.
• Ron Yee is a partner at Wooden's Wisdom, where he coaches individuals and teams to apply the Pyramid of Success and build stronger performance through values-based leadership and team spirit. He previously served as an information technology leader at Pacific Life, where he led more than 200 software professionals focused on fostering a culture of teamwork and innovation. Yee earned his bachelor's degree in applied mathematics from UCLA in 1984. He joins the Alumni Association board of directors this year as a new member.
• Diana Zschaschel is the owner of LA Dental Day Spa and an Army Reserve colonel supporting 15,000 soldiers under the 79th Theater Support Command as the command surgeon. As a dentist, she is leading efforts to expand access to care for individuals with disabilities. She earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from UCLA in 1992 and her doctor of dental surgery degree from UCLA School of Dentistry in 1997. She has served on the Alumni Association board of directors since 2021.

Read the board members' full bios on the UCLA Alumni website. The Alumni Association is grateful for the leadership and dedication of its board members, whose service helps strengthen the UCLA community and advance the association's mission.