The ARCHES Executive Team provides guidance and oversight to the organization, maintaining a focus on the critical goal of improving student achievement and preparing students to obtain sustainable living wages. The Executive Team represents the range of California’s education and workforce systems.
The ARCHES Executive Team currently includes:
Zulmara (Zee) Cline, Ph.D
Title: Statewide Director, California Academic Partnership Program (CAPP), California State University (CSU)
Role: Chair of the ARCHES Executive Team and California State University Representative
Background: Prior to joining the CSU Chancellor’s Office, Dr. Cline was a professor at CSU San Marcos teaching literacy, multicultural and leadership classes. Dr. Cline brings over 34 years of K-12 and higher education experience as a kindergarten teacher and administrator.
Sandra Williams-Hamp
Title: Associate Vice Provost, Outreach and Educational Partnerships
Graduate, Undergraduate and Equity Affairs
University of California Office of the President
Role: ARCHES Executive Team Member
Background: Sandra Williams-Hamp is an incredible leader with over 25 years of experience in education. Currently, Sandra is the Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement at the University of California Office of the President. She oversees UC’s systemwide outreach efforts and strategic partnerships that support the university’s mission of inclusiveness excellence. She works passionately to ensure that more students and have access to the University of California and thrive. She leads UCs SAPEP portfolio which serve more than 200,000 students and California and key strategic partnerships that support equity, inclusion, and diversity with various stakeholders, including Starbucks, College Advising Corps, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Major League Baseball (MLB), Black Girls Code and many others.
Carolina Cárdenas Costilla, Ed.D.
Title: Executive Director, Intersegmental Coordinating Committee and California GEAR UP
Role: ARCHES Executive Team Member
Background: Dr. Cárdenas brings over three decades of higher education experience as a senior leader with extensive expertise in oversight of federal and state programs. Prior to joining ICC and CA GEAR UP, Dr. Cárdenas worked at California State University (CSU) Office of the Chancellor, where she oversaw and supervised the work of the CSU’s nationally recognized Early Assessment Program. She also managed and implemented the CSU’s Academic Success and Inclusive Excellence department’s strategic plans focused on increasing graduation rates while eliminating opportunity and achievement gaps.
Kimberly Mayfield, Ed.D
Title:Deputy Mayor, City of Oakland
Role: ARCHES Executive Team Member and Non-profit Independent Colleges and Universities Representative
Background:Before assuming the role of Deputy Mayor, Dr. Mayfield had a distinguished tenure as the Dean of Students at Holy Names University. With a decade of experience teaching special education in the Oakland Unified School District, she transitioned to become the Dean of the School of Education in 2017. She completed her Multiple Subjects Credential, Education Specialist Mild Moderate Credential, and Doctorate in Education, all while maintaining her full-time teaching role. Dr. Mayfield brings to ARCHES an extensive background spanning over 25 years, encompassing higher education and Special Education.
Dennis Galligani, Ph.D
Title: Former Associate Vice President for Student Academic Services, University of California Office of the President
Role: ARCHES Emeritus Executive Team Member
Background: Prior to his role at the Office of the President of the University of California, Dr. Galligani was the Assistant Vice Chancellor of the University of California, Irvine and served the University of California system for 32 years. Upon leaving UC, he was one of the two founding Executive Directors of ARCHES. Dr. Galligani brings 45 years of experience as a higher educational administrator.
James Lanich, Ph.D
Title: Chief Executive Officer, Education Results Partnership
Role: ARCHES Executive Team Member and Business Partners Representative
Background: Dr. Lanich formerly served as Executive Director for Just for the Kids- California and founded the Education Results Partnership to provide a forum for educators to collaborate and share best practices based on reliable, actionable data. Dr. Lanich brings over 20 years of experience as a public school teacher, administrator, and university professor.
Rick Miller
Title: Executive Director, CORE Districts
Role: ARCHES Executive Team Member
Background: Prior to joining CORE Districts, Mr. Miller was the Executive Director of ARCHES and served as Deputy State Superintendent for P-16 Policy and Information Branch of the California Department of Education. He developed policy recommendations on promising ways to improve student achievement, specifically focused on closing the state’s achievement gaps. Mr. Miller brings over 20 years of experience in K-12 and higher education as a teacher and senior administrator.
Jessie Ryan
Title: President, The Campaign for College Opportunity
Role: Community Organization Representative
Background: Ms. Ryan serves as the President for the Campaign for College Opportunity, where she shepherded historic transfer reform legislation to simplify the transfer pathway from community colleges to baccalaureate granting institutions as well as led efforts to reform remedial education. She also serves as Governor Newsom’s Appointee on the Associate Degree for Transfer Intersegmental Implementation Committee. Ms. Ryan brings over 17 years of experience in the field of education as an administrator, education advocate, and policymaker.
Ebony Jeffries, MPA
Title: Dean, Institutional Effectiveness, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office
Role: ARCHES Executive Team Member and California Community Colleges Representative
Background: Dean Jeffries has dedicated her career to educating and enriching the lives of Californians to create more equitable opportunities for minoritized individuals. Prior to joining the Chancellor’s Office, Ebony served as the Senior Project Management Specialist at the Foundation for California Community Colleges Success Center where she focused on advancing the implementation of the systemwide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Integration Plan to close representation gaps in hiring and retention. She also brings over a decade of experience from the financial industry where she helped to educate clients on understanding financial products and improving their financial well-being.