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In this edition of Org Chart, Dateline UC Davis is sharing news of two director positions, as well as a leadership role in one of the �ԹϺ���’s colleges. Read on to find out more.

Dateline UC Davis welcomes news of appointments of various kinds for faculty and staff, for publication in Org Chart (formerly titled Transitions). Send information to dateline@ucdavis.edu.

Executive associate dean, College of Letters and Science

Professor Elizabeth Miller has been named executive associate dean in the College of Letters and Science where she will lead multiple college-wide efforts.

"I am thrilled to have Professor Miller serve in this role where she will work on several day-to-day inward-facing operations and college-wide projects, including the continuing development of our chair and faculty mentoring programs, building stronger faculty and department collaborations, expanding our interdisciplinary efforts and other college-wide initiatives," said Estella Atekwana, dean of the College of Letters and Science.

Miller most recently served as interim chair for the Department of Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies. She also previously served as chair and vice chair of the college's Faculty Executive Committee and as chair of the English Department. 

— College of Letters and Science staff

Executive director of Transportation Services

Bryce Council has been named Executive Director of Transportation Services, following a nationwide search. He began his new role on Nov. 1.

Bryce brings more than 15 years of progressive leadership experience with UC Davis and UC Davis Health, most recently serving as Director of Operations for Transportation Services. He joined UC Davis Health in 2009 and advanced through several leadership roles, including Manager of Parking, Transportation and Fleet Services (2017–2022), where he oversaw fleet operations, transit planning and parking programs for the health campus.

“I received repeated comments about Bryce’s technical expertise and his understanding of industry best practices, technology and pricing methodology,” said Eric Kvigne, associate vice chancellor for Safety Services. “Equally important, he’s known for his collaborative approach and his ability to find solutions that balance the many interests across our campus.”

— Transportation Services staff

Director of AVANZA

Mayté Frías, who has worked at UC Davis for more than a decade, has been appointed director of , the �ԹϺ���’s Hispanic-Serving Institution, or HSI, initiative. The Spanish-language name for the initiative, housed within , means “move forward” in English and celebrates the �ԹϺ���’s commitment to the Chicanx/Latinx community and all undergraduate, graduate and professional school students.

Frías officially begins her new role on Dec. 8.

She first came to UC Davis as an exchange student from Mexico and then was a postdoctoral researcher studying close relationships in the Department of Psychology.

In 2015, Frías became a researcher with Student Affairs Assessment. Later a senior research associate, Frías has measured the effectiveness of Student Affairs services like tutoring or resource centers to improve support for student success. 

Renetta G. Tull, vice chancellor for Inclusiveness Excellence, said Frías will continue to use data, “rising scholars” and “servingness” frameworks, along with strategic plans, reports, research and evidence-based approaches to guide her work. 

“Her vision, expertise and dedication will be tremendous assets to AVANZA and the entire UC Davis community,” Tull said in announcing the appointment.

UC Davis became eligible to be one of the nation’s few research-intensive universities designated as an HSI, after fall 2024 enrollment numbers crossed the threshold for HSI status for the first time. In September, the Department of Education announced it would eliminate $350 million in grants to HSIs.

Frías is currently serving as staff advisor to the UC Board of Regents, on policy, budget, academic affairs, student expression and more. (Read a Dateline story on her role.) She has also been chair of the . 

Frías holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Universidad de Colima and a doctoral degree in social psychology from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. 

— Julia Ann Easley