The UC Riverside Foundation Board of Trustees has started its new year with new chair Michael Huerta and a distinguished group of new and returning trustees: Jack Stephens, David Tsai, Pete Veravanich, Dr. Melissa Welch, and Jeff Pack.
Chaired by Huerta, the 33-member volunteer Board of Trustees oversees UCR’s affiliated foundation, receiving and managing the investment of a $365.6 million endowment as of June 30, 2026, that supports the long-term strength of UCR’s research programs, colleges, and scholarship funds. Trustees advocate for UCR and advance its mission by seeking and securing private support for its programs.
“UCR built the foundation for my career in public service,” said Huerta, who earned a bachelor’s degree from UCR in 1978. “As a first-generation student myself, UCR instilled in me a profound sense of what was possible and provided the support and helped me develop the skills to be successful. I felt it important to give back to future generations of UCR students.”
Huerta said he looks forward to supporting Chancellor S. Jack Hu and his ambitious agenda for UCR, emphasizing research excellence and innovation, social mobility, and collaboration with diverse stakeholders.
“The Foundation needs to be a strong partner in generating support and the resources needed to achieve this vision,” Huerta said.
Travis Smith, vice chancellor for Development and Alumni Engagement and president of the UCR Foundation, said volunteer leadership is the most powerful force in philanthropy.
"Michael and the trustees joining us this year bring deep experience in health care, law, finance, and public service, and every one of them has chosen to put it to work for UCR: opening doors, making the case for this university, and turning philanthropic passion into scholarships, research, and opportunity for students'" Smith said. "That's what powers UCR's growth, and I'm grateful to be in it with them."
Read more about the board's new leadership and trustees below:
Michael Huerta
Huerta, who was first elected to the board in 2022, began a two-year term as board chair on July 1. He is the founder and president of MPH Consulting Group and a senior advisor for Macquarie Capital USA. He served as the 17th Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from 2013 to 2018.
Throughout his career, Huerta has focused on advancing transportation safety and efficiency through technology. During his FAA tenure, he modernized the nation’s air traffic control system, led efforts to integrate commercial space operations and drones into national airspace, and eliminated the long-standing ban on portable electronic devices during takeoff and landing. He previously held senior roles at Lockheed Martin, Affiliated Computer Services, and Cambridge Systematics. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from UCR.
Huerta serves on the boards of Delta Air Lines, MITRE, Verra Mobility, and Joby Aviation. At UCR, he serves on the School of Public Policy Advisory Board and formerly served on the Bourns College of Engineering CE-CERT Board of Advisors and the UCR Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Jack Stephens
Stephens joins the board as a trustee. Stephens is a behavioral health executive and clinician with over four decades of experience leading psychiatric clinical research organizations and inpatient mental health facilities across California.
In 1999, Stephens founded Collaborative NeuroScience Network, Inc. (CNS Network), growing it into one of the nation’s largest independent clinical trial site networks specializing in central nervous system disorders. Following CNS Network’s 2019 merger into Apex Innovative Sciences, Inc., he served as president of CNS Network under the Apex umbrella. Since 2021, Stephens has also served as CEO of Ocean View Adult Psychiatric Hospital in Long Beach, California. He earned a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy/counseling from Pepperdine University.
Stephens also serves on the Community Advisory Board for the UCR School of Medicine.
David Tsai
Tsai returns to the Board of Trustees after a bylaws-mandated break, having previously served from 2015 to 2023. Tsai is a partner at K&L Gates in San Francisco, serving as a first-chair trial lawyer in intellectual property and commercial litigation for global technology, AI, biotech, and semiconductor companies.
Tsai was previously a partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, where he co-headed the firm’s Taiwan practice. Recognized repeatedly by Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers, Tsai is also an advocate for pro bono civil rights work on behalf of Asian and Pacific Islander, LGBT, and immigration clients, receiving recognitions from the California State Assembly, the California State Senate, and the AIDS Legal Referral Panel.
Tsai earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, a master’s degree from at Stanford University, and a law degree from Santa Clara University. His connection to UCR is through his late father, Lung-Wen Tsai, a professor of mechanical engineering. In addition to his role on the UCR Foundation Board, Tsai serves on the Bourns College of Engineering Dean's Council of Advisors.
Pete Veravanich
Veravanich is managing director at Pathway Capital Management, a global private markets investment firm based in Irvine, California, that manages over $95 billion in assets across private equity, private credit, infrastructure, and co-investments.
Veravanich joined Pathway in 2000 and serves as Head of Pathway's Secondaries Team, leading investment analysis, due diligence, and advisory functions for institutional investors worldwide. Prior to joining Pathway, he served as an associate for Pacific Investment Management Company.
Veravanich earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from UCLA and an MBA from the University of Southern California.
Dr. Melissa Welch
Welch is a board-certified internal medicine physician and healthcare executive with decades of experience spanning clinical practice, health plan leadership, and healthcare philanthropy.
Welch previously served as vice president of Clinical Quality, Network and Markets Support at Blue Shield of California, where she oversaw clinical operations, quality, and specialty care transformation. She also served as regional care management leader at Aetna and executive medical director for the Health Plan of San Mateo. Earlier in her career, she served on the faculty at the University of California, San Francisco, where she taught internal medicine and founded “Perspectives of Differences,” a diversity training and consultation service.
Welch earned her bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from UC Irvine, an MD from Harvard Medical School, and an MPH in epidemiology from UC Berkeley.
Jeff Pack
Pack joins the board as an ex-officio voting member in his capacity as president of the UCR Alumni Association. Pack previously served as an ex-officio trustee during his term as an alumni regent on the UC Board of Regents.
Pack is a retired naval officer who served as a defense and naval attaché to four U.S. ambassadors. Following his military service, he worked in local government for the City of San Diego, focusing on emergency management and violence prevention programs.
Pack earned bachelor’s degrees in history and anthropology from UCR, a master’s degree in law and diplomacy from Tufts University, and a master’s degree in medical anthropology from Durham University in the United Kingdom.
