Josefina Castillo Baltodano

Josefina Baltodano is currently serving at UC Berkeley as Senior Associate – External Relations of the Center for Studies in Higher Education and Founding Executive Director of the Executive Leadership Academy (ELA). Ms. Baltodano was highlighted in Diverse: Issues in Higher Education in the “Top 35 Women in Higher Education” in 2019.

Previously, she served as President of Marian University until 2009. During her presidency, she led the transition from a college to university status. She served on the Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) Board of Directors, the University of Wisconsin System President’s Council on Diversity, the Alta Bates Summit Foundation Board, and the Board of Directors of the American Council on Education (ACE) Women’s Network Executive Council. She also served as Chair on the Board of Directors for the Alameda Health System Foundation, while simultaneously serving as the Campaign Chair. In honor of her exceptional service, Josefina was chosen as the 2017 recipient of the Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer Award from the Association of American Fundraising Professionals, Golden Gate Chapter. Under her outstanding leadership as Campaign Committee Chair, the Alameda Health System Foundation received the largest institutional gift and the largest bequest in its history.  

Ms. Baltodano has over 20 years at UC Berkeley in administration and teaching, which included development and leadership of the Academic Achievement Division (AAD), and teaching in the Ethnic Studies Department. At Alliant International University in California, she served as Executive Vice President for Strategic Planning and Advancement and University Professor. She also served at John F. Kennedy University, California where she was Vice President for University Research, Vice President for University Relations, and Dean and Professor, School of Management.

Ms. Baltodano also served as a Commissioner for the American Council on Education Women’s Commission, the State of California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), and served on the Mills College Board of Trustees. Ms. Baltodano was also the founding chair of the Board of Commissioners of the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education and was also the National Chair of the US Department of Education’s Ronald McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program. Finally, Josefina is proud to share that her first two major non-profit boards were when she served on the Board of Directors for KQED and on the Board of Trustees for the San Francisco Ballet, assisting both in their fundraising campaign initiatives, which exceeded their goals.