Appointment of New USU Executive Director
The University Student Union (USU) at California State University, Northridge (CSUN) has appointed Cecilia Ortiz (pronouns: she/her/ella) as the next USU Executive Director. Cecilia will assume the position on Monday, March 3, 2025. Debra L. Hammond will continue to serve as the Executive Director through Cecilia’s start date.
Cecilia has over twenty years of experience working in various higher education roles which include Hispanic-Serving Institutions and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions. Since 2011, Cecilia has served as Executive Director of The Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker University Student Union at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). In this role, Cecilia serves as chief executive officer and is responsible for the stewardship of student assets including fiscal oversight, facility maintenance, programming, services, human resources and operations. Cecilia is a first-generation graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University, Los Angeles and her Master of Organizational Leadership from Woodbury University.
In her new role as the USU’s Executive Director, Cecilia will serve as the organization‘s chief executive officer, where she will administer, direct, and coordinate the activities of the USU in accordance with the policies, goals and objectives of the USU Board of Directors, CSUN and the Trustees of the California State University. She will be responsible for the development of current and long-range strategic goals, policies and operating plans to achieve the mission of the USU, provide administrative, human resources, assessment and evaluation and financial management to ensure effective and efficient student union operations and services which are responsive to the needs of the campus community; and oversee and manage USU facilities, services, operations and programs which currently include the USU Board of Directors, the USU, the Student Recreation Center (SRC), the Pride Center, the Veterans Resource Center (VRC), the DREAM Center, and the Oasis Wellness Center.