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Continued Commitment to Community

The Cal Alumni Association (CAA) is dedicated to serving more than half a million living UC Berkeley alumni worldwide, through programming and services that amplify, uplift, and connect our community. On August 12, the CAA Board of Directors and alumni leaders convened at the Lair of the Golden Bear for an opportunity to listen, learn, and collaborate on CAA’s strategic efforts.

August 26, 2022
Alfonso Salazar ’90 with wife and son at the Lair Alfonso Salazar ’90 with wife and son at the Lair. / Cal Alumni Association
Susie Cohen Crumpler speaking at a podium with trees in the background.
Executive Director Susie Cohen Crumpler speaks to CAA board members and alumni leaders. / Cal Alumni Association

“Our retreat is focused on the development and implementation of the Cal Alumni Association’s new strategic plan, which includes a refreshed vision and mission, as well as timely strategic priorities to best serve our alumni community both now and in the future. We are calling upon our volunteers, board members, staff, and stakeholders to brainstorm new ideas, initiatives, and opportunities,” explained Susie Cohen Crumpler, Executive Director of the Cal Alumni Association.

The retreat at the Lair fostered insightful discussions regarding the future of CAA. “We are bringing Cal alumni together to help support the next generation of Cal alumni. I think that’s a beautiful thing for us to do—to come together and support our alma mater and the next generation,” said Alfonso Salazar ’90, M.P.P., President of the Cal Alumni Association. 

“We are bringing Cal alumni together to help support the next generation of Cal alumni. I think that’s a beautiful thing for us to do—to come together and support our alma mater and the next generation.”

Alfonso Salazar ’90, M.P.P.

The alumni community is in good hands. The ideas developed between retreat participants will inform the goals and metrics associated with CAA’s forthcoming strategic plan, which will launch in 2023. Leaders in attendance included Graduate Assembly President Lucy Andrews ’23, State Controller Betty Yee ’79, California state Assemblymember Phil Ting ’91, Cal Bears in the Desert Vice President Maximiliano Ochoa ’14, the Berkeley Student Cooperative Alumni Association’s Analise Smith-Hinkley ’10, the Daily Cal Alumni Chapter’s Allen Matthews ’85, and the Prytanean Honors Society Alumnae Chapter’s Tina Cheung ’07.

For Ochoa, the group is charged with moving its community forward. Ochoa reflected, “I am working to serve the Cal community by sharing and leading through examples of what we as Cal alumni and leaders are able to do.” He added that the retreat gave leaders an opportunity to “provide input on areas we can improve to better serve our campus, our communities, and especially our Cal alumni community.”

wooden bear statue among redwood trees at Lair of the Golden Bear campground
Since 1949, Cal alumni and friends have gathered at the Lair of the Golden Bear in Pinecrest, California. / Cal Alumni Association

“Our goals include growing our alumni reach; enriching our programs by integrating DEIBJ principles and practices; bolstering our resources; deepening our alumni relationships; and expanding our campus partnerships. I am looking forward to meaningful discussions with outcomes that manifest throughout the coming years,” said Cohen Crumpler. 

As the Cal Alumni Association continues to celebrate its 150th anniversary, we renew our commitment to serving the alumni community. Our mission is to advance and promote the interests of the University of California, Berkeley by connecting alumni to each other and to our alma mater. We look forward to continuing this mission for many years to come.

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