The California State Summer School for the Arts is a state agency governed by a 15-member board of trustees appointed by the Governor, State Legislature, State Board of Education, California Arts Council, State University Board of Trustees, Regents of the University of California, and the California State Summer School Arts Foundation.
The California State Summer School Arts Foundation was founded as a 501 (c)(3) in 1986 to support CSSSA by seeking and administering gifts from corporations, individuals, and foundations. A 30‐member board of directors, appointed by the school’s board of trustees, governs the foundation. A number of trustees also serve as foundation directors.
CSSSA Board of Trustees
CSSSA Foundation Board of Directors
Noelle Bonner
Kim Pattillo Brownson
Mike Cannone
Donna Miller Casey
Alexander Cruz de Ocampo
Moctesuma Esparza, Chair
Dr. Merryl Goldberg
Roxanne Messina Captor
Mark Morikawa
Jeffrey Jorge Penichet
Teri Schwartz
Laura C. Romero, Ph.D
Melissa Draper, Chair Emeritus
Alan Sieroty, Emeritus
Matthew Gallagher, Director
Donna Miller Casey, Chair & Founder
Mike Cannone, Secretary
Kelly Buck, Secretary/Treasurer
Maggie Drake
Alex Hirsch
Heidi Kershaw
Mark Morikawa
Janice Prober
Teri Schwartz
Nancy Rae Stone
Wendy Goldberg, Founder
Jeremy Deming, Executive Director
CALIFORNIA STATE SUMMER SCHOOL FOR THE ARTS
CSSSA Board of Trustees Meeting
August 20th, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Agenda
1. Call to Order and Quorum Call
2. Public Comment – an opportunity for members of the public to address the Board of Trustees regarding items not on the agenda
Consent Agenda:
3. Approval of Draft Meeting Minutes, May 20, 2026
Regular Agenda
4. 2026 Data Dashboard – Discussion
CSSSA will present student demographics from the 2026 session, including county, age, gender, race/ethnicity, and more.
5. 2026 Student Survey Reports – Discussion
CSSSA collected survey data from enrolled students following the 2026 summer session. The results of the surveys will be presented to the Board of Trustees.
6. AI Innovation Sessions – Discussion
CSSSA will provide a summary of three sessions held during the 2026 session, addressing how AI technology can be used in education and various creative genres.
7. 2027 Chair and Faculty Hiring – Discussion and Potential Approval
Per CSSSA’s ED Code, the Board of Trustees have governance over hiring of summer chairs and faculty. CSSSA will review procedures for renewing contracts and confirming new hires for the 2027 session.
8. General Updates– Discussion and Potential Approval
CSSSA will present general updates for ongoing fall 2026 projects, including the strategic plan, review of CSSSA’s Special Deposit Fund, and implementation of the new student CRM / database, Slate.
9. Closed Session
The Board of Trustees will enter into closed session to discussion personnel matters in keeping with the Bagely Keen Act.
10. Adjournment
(All scheduling and orders of business are subject to change within 10 days prior to the scheduled meeting. Any agenda item is subject to potential action by the Board of Trustees.)
Join Virtual Meeting:
Topic: CSSSA Board of Trustees Meeting
Time: Aug 20, 2026 01:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89420599930?pwd=pCIy2H96Ai43K5lLj1x7PuayM701bb.1
Meeting chat link
https://us02web.zoom.us/launch/jc/89420599930
Meeting ID: 894 2059 9930
Passcode: 05667
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