Social Justice & Community

Jessica Lum to serve as UC Santa Cruz’s sixth alumni regent 

Since graduating from UC Santa Cruz, Jessica Lum (Rachel Carson ’09, environmental studies and economics) has built a career in external affairs, serving mission-driven organizations, non-profit trade associations, and government. She began her two-year term as an alumni regent earlier this month.

July 29, 2026

By Haneen Zain

Jessica Lum (Rachel Carson ’09, environmental studies and economics) has been selected to serve as a UC alumni regent, representing UC Santa Cruz and the University of California system’s more than 2 million alumni. 

Prior to this role, Lum  joined the UC Santa Cruz Alumni Council in 2022, serving as a dedicated volunteer and advocate for the campus community. In her work at UC Santa Cruz, Lum has helped connect fellow alumni with the university, contributed to the Alumni Association Scholarship program by reviewing student essays, championed opportunities for alumni and current students to engage with one another, and led efforts to review and update the council’s bylaws.

The UC Board of Regents is the governing body of the University of California, responsible for overseeing the system’s policies, finances, and overall direction across all 10 campuses.

“It’s just such a unique opportunity for any alum at any of the UCs to have a voice on this governing body,” Lum said. “There’s tremendous responsibility to represent the over 2 million UC alumni, and I feel the  responsibility to make sure that I use my time wisely.” 

Of the board’s 26 members, 18 are appointed by the California governor to serve staggered 12-year terms, while the remaining seats, including the alumni regent and student regent, are filled through separate selection processes tied to their respective roles; all regents serve as volunteers and without pay.

Lum will be the sixth alumni regent from UC Santa Cruz. The university’s last alumni regent, Art Torres, was selected in 2020. 

“The alumni regent role is one of the most meaningful ways our graduates can help shape the future of this university, and Jessica is perfect for the role,” said UC Santa Cruz Chancellor Cynthia Larive. “Her years of thoughtful, dedicated service on the UCSC Alumni Council and in her career make her a natural fit for this role.” 

The two alumni regent seats rotate among the University of California’s 10 campuses. Selected alumni serve a two-year term: one year as a non-voting regent-designate, followed by a year as a full voting member of the Board of Regents, while also taking on a leadership role with the systemwide Alumni Associations of the University of California. The AAUC is an umbrella organization that connects the Alumni Associations from all 10 campuses to support and honor the 2 million alumni from the UC system. In the role, Lum acts as a bridge between alumni communities and the university’s governing board.

Since graduating from UC Santa Cruz, Lum has built a career in external affairs, serving mission-driven organizations, non-profit trade associations, and government.

She has guided and led numerous boards, including serving as Chair for Friends of San Francisco Environment and Vice President for Walk San Francisco. Jessica also served on committees supporting workforce and professional development for the City College of San Francisco, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, and the City and County of San Francisco, among others. Through this extensive service, she has developed a strong understanding of stakeholder engagement, consensus building, and board leadership.

“Jessica has been one of our most engaged and dedicated volunteers for years, from reading scholarship essays to serving on our Alumni Council leadership,” said Assistant Vice Chancellor of Alumni Engagement John D. Pine. “Stepping into the alumni regent role feels like a natural next chapter, and we couldn’t be prouder to see that dedication recognized at the systemwide level.”

Lum started volunteering with UC Santa Cruz by signing up to read Alumni Association Scholarship essays. She saw it as a low-barrier way to give back that she could do on her own time, from home. Alumni volunteers review essays for the roughly 50 merit-based scholarships the council awards annually, helping identify students who best embody the spirit of UC Santa Cruz. For Lum, it also became a meaningful way to stay connected to the current student experience.

Lum formally joined the UC Santa Cruz Alumni Council in 2022. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she found herself re-evaluating how she wanted to spend her time and was looking for volunteer opportunities with organizations that mattered to her. Once on the council, she took on key leadership roles, serving a term as vice president of administration, helping manage the council’s bylaws, before going on to co-chair the Alumni Scholarship Committee. 

In addition, under Lum’s leadership, the council undertook a substantial project to update its bylaws, creating the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee and the vice president of DEIB officer position, and streamlining the council’s elections process.

Six of Lum’s 10 cousins, including herself, and her father and uncle, are graduates of the UC system, with one cousin still an undergraduate at UCI. As a lifelong San Franciscan, Lum says she and her family weren’t exactly outdoorsy. So when it came time for Lum to choose a college, UC Santa Cruz wasn’t on her radar. Although it took some time to adjust, Lum soon realized that she was where she was meant to be.

“Like so many others, you make it onto campus and you realize you’re somewhere special, and you lean into your time at UC Santa Cruz,” Lum said. “You take away something that is very unique beyond what you learn in the classroom. There is something else that you take along, that you learn, and that you embrace. That spirit of Santa Cruz is with you after your time on campus, wherever you go.”