University of the Pacific has added five exceptional members to its Board of Regents, bringing leadership experience from a wide range of industries.

Consuelo Callahan ’75, judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, is returning to the Board of Regents. She served from 2006 to 2014.

Other new members include Marty Ardron, senior vice president for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospital Operations; Kit Follmer ’78, former CEO of Follmer Development; Rupert Hall, president and CEO of Golden Bear Insurance Co.; and Elizabeth Johnson ‘87, owner and principal of Elizabeth Johnson Consulting. They were elected to the board for three-year terms beginning July 1.

“Pacific is fortunate to have five talented professionals joining our board who bring a diverse set of experiences and perspectives that will help us reach our goal to be the top student-centric comprehensive university in the country,” said Board Chair Norman Allen ’88, ’94. “Each is eager to serve our university. Their addition makes our Board of Regents even stronger and better positions us to lead Pacific to greater heights.”

As the governing board for the university, the Board of Regents oversees Pacific’s education experience by selecting the university president and approving the school’s mission, strategic goals and budgets.

Callahan has served as judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit for nearly 20 years, nominated by President George W. Bush and unanimously confirmed by the Senate in 2003.

She earned her law degree from the McGeorge School of Law in 1975 and started her law career in Stockton as deputy city attorney. She then became deputy district attorney in San Joaquin County focusing on child abuse and sexual assault cases.

In 1986 she became a commissioner of the Stockton Municipal Court. Six years later, she was the first Hispanic woman appointed to the San Joaquin County Superior Court. Governor Pete Wilson appointed Callahan to serve on the Third District California Court of Appeal in Sacramento in 1996.

Callahan serves on the boards of the Western University of Health Sciences and American Inns of Court.

Prior to Pacific, Callahan earned her bachelor’s degree from Stanford University and went on to receive a Master of Laws degree from University of Virginia School of Law.

Ardron oversees hospital and health plan operations for 21 hospitals in northern California as senior vice president for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals, which serves more than 4.5 million members.

He is an active member of the Port City Board of Managers, a joint venture partnership with St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton and Kaiser Permanente. He also serves on the board of directors for Contra Costa Economic Development and the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce.

Ardron earned a degree in physical therapy from Loma Linda University, a Master of Business Administration from Keller Graduate School of Management and participated in the Harvard Executive Leadership program.

Follmer, a College of the Pacific graduate, is the former CEO of Follmer Development. Under his leadership, the food aerosol manufacturer experienced significant growth, leading to its sale in 2016. 

Prior to leading the company, Follmer was group leader for Wyeth-Ayerst Pharmaceuticals where he was active in cardiovascular drug research. He continued his research as an adjunct professor at University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, VA Medical Center after joining Follmer Development in 1990.

Follmer earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at University of the Pacific in 1978. He was a standout member of the men’s water polo team. Follmer was inducted into the Pacific Athletics Hall of Fame in 2014.

After Pacific, he earned a PhD from the University of Hawaii School of Medicine and had a post-doctoral fellowship at Northwestern University School of Medicine in the Department of Pharmacology. 

Hall is president and CEO of Golden Bear Insurance Company, a surplus lines brokerage founded by his father in 1973.

He is a member of the Legislative Committee of the Surplus Lines Association of California and served as chairman in 2005. Hall is also chairman of the Nationwide E&S/Specialty Agents’ Advisory Board. He is a past member of the California Department of Insurance Agents and Brokers Advisory Committee. 

Hall is currently on the Board of Trustees for Humphreys University and the Board of Directors for Ready to Work in San Joaquin County, which helps formerly homeless men rebuild their lives.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from University of Southern California.His wife Yvonne is a 1996 graduate of the Eberhardt School of Business.

A 1987 graduate of the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy, Johnson is owner and principal of Elizabeth Johnson Consulting, which combines a decade of association management experience with more than 15 years in the pharmaceutical industry.

Johnson is an active Pacific alumna, previously serving as president of the Pacific Alumni Association. She also served on the Pacific Pharmacy Alumni Association Board, including four years as president.

She was recognized as Alumna of the Year by the pharmacy school in 2003 and served on the dean’s advisory/leadership council.

Johnson has served in multiple capacities for the American Pharmacists Association and the California Pharmacists Association, for which she chairs the Awards Committee, and is currently on the board of directors for the American Pharmacists Association Foundation. 

Three regents stepped off the board after their terms expired at the end of June: Corwin Harper, senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser Permanente; Constance Rishwain ’79, a retired executive; and Bo Yu ’13, managing partner of Pan Asia International Investment Limited.

“I am extremely grateful to Corwin, Connie and Bo for their dedication to Pacific,” said Pacific President Christopher Callahan. “Their leadership has helped strategically guide our university toward our goals. I also am looking forward to working with our new regents. Their expertise and passion for higher education will ensure that Pacific remains committed to its mission of providing transformational, student-centered learning experiences.”