Meredith Khachigian

Elected Chairman of the Board of Regents of the University of California for three terms, Meredith Khachigian has served as the leader of the #1 public research university in the nation. The University of California has 141,000 employees and enrolls 174,000 students in undergraduate and graduate academic and professional programs. Its $14 billion annual budget is the largest of any educational institution. The Board of Regents is the governing body for nine general education campuses, a graduate health science campus in San Francisco, three law schools, five medical schools and five hospitals. In addition, the Regents manage three national labs for the United States Department of Energy. The Board of Regents also provides oversight for the $42 billion U. C. Retirement System, the largest in the United States, and a General Endowment Pool of $5 billion.

As Chairman of the Regents 1991-93 and 1997-98, Khachigian chaired all board meetings, approved agendas and served on all committees. Khachigian is the former Chairman of the Committee on Health Services, which oversees the policy, and operations of all the university’s medical schools and hospitals. Until April 2000, she served on the board of directors for the merged UCSF Stanford Health Care System. In addition, she actively participated on the Regent’s committees on finance, audit, grounds and buildings, oversight of the Department of Energy Laboratories and educational policy. Being uniquely familiar with the management of a large, complex institution with a substantial budget, she was involved with executive search, strategic planning, management oversight, develop of compensation and retirement packages and represented the university on matters dealing with public affairs and outreach.

Meredith Khachigian, a consultant in community and public affairs, is the former Executive Director of Vital Link-Orange County - a program that matches high school students’ education with the needs of their future employers. As Executive Director, Khachigian secured funds and developed long term strategy for Vital Link and met with education, political and business leaders to promote the program. She currently serves as a member of the Governor’s School-To-Work Advisory Council for the State of California.

Khachigian has extensive experience in public speaking, press interviews and media appearances. She has given interviews on television and radio, including Good Morning America, the Lehrer News Hour and the ABC Nightly News with Peter Jennings. She meets with editorial boards and has participated in numerous live radio shows and news conferences.

Ms. Khachigian understands the relationship between corporate institutions and public affairs. She has a wide variety of experience in working with government and political institutions and has had years of involvement with political figures at the highest level. On numerous occasions, Khachigian has been called on to meet with state and national elected officials. She actively represents the needs of the various public or private institutions with which she is associated.

Khachigian is a member of the Board of Directors of the Orange County Business Council, a Trustee of the American University of Armenia, and is a member of the University of California, Davis, Medical Center Board of Visitors. She has served as President of Human Options, a shelter for battered women, President of the U. C. Santa Barbara Alumni Association, and Chairman of the U. C. Irvine Foundation. She is also a founding member of the U. C. Merced Foundation.

Ms. Khachigian received her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is the recipient of the University of California Santa Barbara Medal, the Chancellor’s Medal and Distinguished Alumni Award from U.C. S. B., the 1998 Extraordinarius Award from the U.C. Irvine Alumni Association, is a member of the Hall of Fame of the College of Sequoias, and was chosen as the Pioneering Woman of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners. The U. C. Irvine Foundation recently awarded Khachigian the U. C. Irvine Medal, recognizing her dedication to, and strong support of, U.C.I.’s student outreach programs and health sciences research.

Ms. Khachigian has balanced an active professional career with raising two daughters. She is married to Kenneth L. Khachigian, founding partner of the law firm of Smiland & Khachigian, former senior White House advisor and senior political strategist for three U. S. Presidents and two California Governors.