Cathy Sandeen is currently Dean of Continuing Education and UCLA Extension at the University of California Los Angeles, a position she has held since December 2006.
Serving over 55,000 students per year, UCLA Extension offers over 4,500 classes and programs per year meeting the professional development, continuing education, and personal enrichment needs of working professionals, companies, and organizations throughout the Los Angeles region and beyond. Dr. Sandeen oversees the academic, financial, operational, and outreach aspects of the program. With an annual budget of $43 million, UCLA Extension is a completely self-supporting enterprise, receiving no state or campus funds. Excelling in its quality, innovation, and impact, UCLA Extension is considered one of the top programs of its type in the US.
Dr. Sandeen also oversees Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB), a partnership between the University of California and the State Bar of California that provides continuing legal education classes and legal guides and updates for the legal profession. CEB has an annual self-support budget of $28 million.
Dr. Sandeen has over 18 years of experience in continuing education and professional development at three University of California campuses. Prior to joining UCLA, Dr. Sandeen served for six years as Vice Provost and Dean of University Extension and Summer Session at University of California Santa Cruz. There she focused on strengthening ties with Silicon Valley companies and governmental and community organizations and expanded international programs and partnerships. Dr. Sandeen also was responsible for Summer Session, campus-based academic programs where enrollments increased dramatically during her tenure. In these roles, Dr. Sandeen forged a highly productive relationship between Extension and the UC Santa Cruz faculty.
Prior to UC Santa Cruz, Dr. Sandeen held several positions in continuing education at University of California San Francisco, culminating in the position of Assistant Dean for Educational Support Services within the UCSF School of Dentistry. She is active in the University Continuing Education Association, has held leadership positions in professional organizations, has published and presented in the field of continuing higher education, and has received major grants to support continuing education programs. She is the 2009 recipient of the Research and Scholarship Award by the University Continuing Education Association. Dr. Sandeen earned a PhD in Communication from the University of Utah and an MBA degree from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Cathy Sandeen 