On December 11, Andrea Gaytan began her appointment as chief of staff in UC Davis Global Affairs. In her new role, Gaytan is a member of the Global Affairs senior leadership team and is responsible for leading and coordinating cross-cutting organizational initiatives, ensuring sound resource allocation and supporting key initiatives and campus HR and administrative operations. She will serve as the chief HR officer and provide broad oversight of the administration of Global Affairs, its units and programs through supervision of finance, business operations, communications, event management, travel security and contracts and grants.

“We are excited that Andrea has joined us at Global Affairs,” said Joanna Regulska, vice provost and dean of Global Affairs. “Across all her professional roles to date, she has cultivated extensive experience working with budget, finance, operations and human resources. Andrea will be a great asset to Global Affairs and the UC Davis community.”

Andrea has over 20 years of experience working in education, including teaching, advising and managing co-curricular and academic programs, as well as experience with organizational management. She is very familiar with UC Davis: she earned her bachelor’s degree here in sociology, served as the Assistant Director of the Cross Cultural Center, and led the creation of the AB540 and Undocumented Student Center, one of the first undocumented student centers in the nation. 

Most recently, Andrea served as dean of the Davis and West Sacramento Educational Centers of Sacramento City College where she helped establish programs in dual enrollment with area high schools, administered several grant-funded programs and developed career education opportunities in Yolo County. She earned a master’s degree in teaching, with an emphasis in English as a Second Language, from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont and has experience in education abroad.

“I am thrilled to be back at UC Davis and to be working with the incredible Global Affairs team in advancing the goal of global education for all,” said Gaytan.

Gaytan will take over for Keisha Ligget Nichols, assistant vice provost and chief of staff, who is starting a position with Penn State.

“My deepest thanks to Keisha for her leadership and guidance over the past three years. I am incredibly grateful for her support of Global Affairs colleagues and her advocacy on Global Affairs’ behalf,” said Regulska.

Global Affairs brings the world to UC Davis, welcoming more than 10,000 international students, scholars and leaders, and hosting programs that inspire global curiosity, understanding and engagement. Compelled by the valuable outcomes of thinking globally, we make transformative opportunities a reality by supporting the thousands of students and faculty learning and researching globally and by facilitating collaborations that tackle the world's most pressing challenges through more than 150 global partnerships.