Regent Emeritus George Kieffer

George Kieffer received his bachelor’s degree in history from U.C. Santa Barbara, where he was named the Outstanding Male Graduate, and received his J.D. from UCLA. He previously served as an Alumni Regent from 1978 to 1980.

Mr.  Kieffer has served as the President of the U.C. Santa Barbara Alumni Association, as Chair of the U.C. Santa Barbara Foundation, as the President of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as a founding member of the California Community Colleges Foundation, and as a Member of the Blue Ribbon Commission for Review of the California Master Plan for Higher Education.

Mr. Kieffer is a partner and a member of the Management Committee of the national law firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP. He Chaired the commission charged with rewriting the Los Angeles City Charter for the first full revision in 75 years. He has been honored as one of the top 100 lawyers in California by the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals and as one of the 500 most influential people in Los Angeles by the Los Angeles Business Journal, and received numerous awards for community and public service. He is the former Chair of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the Los Angeles Mayor’s Council of Economic Advisors. He is the author of The Strategy of Meetings, a contributing author of Governing Public Colleges and Universities, and is a published composer.

Mr. Kieffer was appointed as a Regent in May 2009 by Governor Schwarzenegger to a term ending in March 2021.