Greg Sarris, UC regent and chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, and Katherine Newman, UC provost and executive vice president of Academic Affairs

The UCOP Native American, Indigenous and Pacific Islander Staff Association (NAIPISA) and OP Staff Assembly (OPSA) are excited to host a conversation with Greg Sarris, UC regent and chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, moderated by Katherine Newman, UC provost and executive vice president of Academic Affairs.

Join us on Tuesday, April 15, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (PT) in the Broadway Conference Center or via Zoom to hear about Regent Sarris’s journey as an author, his inspirations, his work as a tribal leader and his role as a UC regent. President Drake will open this systemwide event and introduce Regent Sarris and Provost Newman.

Event schedule

• 11:30 – 12:30: Moderated conversation with hosted lunch for Oakland attendees
• 12:30 – 1:30: Post-event networking and mingling

About Regent Sarris

Greg Sarris, Ph.D., is an enrolled member of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria and is currently serving his 17th consecutive elected term as tribe chairman. He also serves as president of the tribe’s Economic Development Board, overseeing all tribe business interests, including the Graton Resort and Casino.

In June 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed him to the University of California Board of Regents for a term expiring in 2026. He is currently chair of the regents’ Public Engagement and Development Committee.

Regent Sarris received his bachelor’s degree in English from UCLA, then his master’s degree in English and Ph.D. in modern thought and literature from Stanford University, where he was awarded the Walter Gore Award for excellence in teaching. He was an English professor at UCLA and then the Fletcher Jones professor of creative writing and literature at Loyola Marymount University. He is currently a distinguished emeritus Graton-endowed chair in Native American Studies at Sonoma State University.

An accomplished author, Regent Sarris wrote the award-winning novel “Grand Avenue,” which he adapted for an HBO miniseries and co-executive-produced with Robert Redford. His other books include “Watermelon Nights,” “Mabel McKay: Weaving the Dream,” the short story collection “The Forgettors,” and a memoir, “Becoming Story: A Journey among Seasons, Places, Trees, and Ancestors.” He is finalizing a forthcoming book entitled “The Last Human Bear.”

Regent Sarris’ other artistic achievements include serving on the Board of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, including two years as chair, and executive producing “I Am a Noise,” a documentary film about Joan Baez. He was recently appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Sundance Institute and is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

For questions, contact Jeff McElvaney.

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