Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff | Equity & Inclusion
Amber Johnson is the Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff to the Vice Chancellor for Equity & Inclusion at UC Berkeley. With a strong background in social justice scholarship and transformative community work, Amber brings extensive expertise in healing justice, equity strategy, and community-centered engagement.
Previously, they served as Professor of Communication and Social Justice and Executive Director and co-founder of the Institute for Healing Justice and Equity at Saint Louis University, where they led award-winning initiatives connecting equity with community...
Jay Larson is serving as Co-Director of Athletics at Cal for the 2025-26 year. Larson and Jenny Simon-O’Neill – who serves alongside Larson as Co-Director of Athletics – were formally appointed by Chancellor Rich Lyons into these positions on July 2, 2025, establishing an innovative leadership structure. In this role, Larson and Simon-O’Neill oversee a broad-based athletics program, shaping the department's future amid sweeping changes in college sports.
Larson brings two decades of experience in intercollegiate athletics administration. He...
Associate Vice Chancellor of Advancement Operations | University Development & Alumni Relations
Nancy McKinney is the Associate Vice Chancellor of Advancement Operations to the Vice Chancellor for University Development & Alumni Relations (UDAR) at UC Berkeley. With over two decades of experience in advancement and a deep understanding of university operations, Nancy brings extensive expertise in donor relations, gift compliance, data strategy, and institutional stewardship.
She started her UC Berkeley career as the Director of Stewardship, steadily expanding her portfolio through a subsequent campus role before assuming her current leadership position. Today, she...
Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff
Division of Student Affairs
Jen Siecienski is the interim Assistant Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff for the Division of Student Affairs. Jen has served as Associate Dean and Executive Director of the Student Union since 2022 and has been instrumental in leading responses to student expressive activity, major campus events, and other complex campus-wide initiatives. A member of the UC Berkeley community since 2007, Jen has held numerous leadership roles within Residential Life and Graduate and Family Living, and brings nearly three decades of experience supporting students and fostering inclusive communities. She...
Jenny Simon-O’Neill is serving as Co-Director of Athletics at Cal alongside Jay Larson for 2025-2026. Appointed by Chancellor Rich Lyons in July 2025, Simon-O’Neill and Larson are leading the department through a time of sweeping transformation in college athletics under a new, collaborative leadership model.
With more than 17 years of experience at Cal, she previously served as Deputy Athletics Director, Chief of Staff, and Senior Woman Administrator. Simon-O’Neill served as a core member of the department’s executive team as well as Director’s Cabinet. Her portfolio included day-...
Assistant Vice Provost and Chief of Staff | Academic Planning
Heidi Wagner serves as the Assistant Vice Provost and Chief of Staff for Academic Planning. She has over two decades of experience in leadership and operations in higher education settings having served in a variety of roles from receptionist at a small grant-funded research center to Chief Administrative Officer for a large, complex division. She enjoys working on projects that bring various stakeholders together and result in large-scale change. At Berkeley, Heidi has previously served as the Assistant Dean for Administration and Finance in the Division of Biological Sciences and in the...
