Advisory Board

COSMOS seeks input and guidance from a statewide advisory board composed of select leaders with interests and experience in STEM education. The Board advises the COSMOS leadership in general, and the Executive Director in particular, on essential program strategies, including:

• Fundraising, development, and student accessibility
• Legislative and public communication
• Academic and research opportunities for students and alumni

The Board meets semi-annually to review the COSMOS activities and to discuss new and continuing opportunities for advancing the mission of the program.

Board Members:

Alan R. Bishop
Chief Scientist (Ret.), Los Alamos National Laboratory
Former Principal Associate Director - Science, Technology, and Engineering, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Fellow, American Physical Society, Institute of Physics, American Association for the Advancement of Science
Recipient, E.O. Lawrence Award, Department of Energy
Humboldt Senior Fellow, Los Alamos Fellow

Girish Chandran
VP Chief Technical Officer, Viasat

Kim Elise Chrissan
VP Government Affairs, Infinera

Chris Kahn, COSMOS Advisory Board Chair Emeritus
Founder and Owner, Chris Kahn Consulting, Sacramento
Secretary, Board of Trustees, The California Museum

Margo Leonetti O'Connell
The Leonetti/O'Connell Family Foundation
Board of Trustees, California Science Center Foundation

DeWayne Quinn, Chair
Director, Global Information Systems, Apple Inc.
Founder, The Quinn Foundation.

Jose Solorio
Senior Policy Advisor, Nossaman LLP; California Student Aid Commissioner
Former Councilmember, City of Santa Ana
Former State Assemblyman

Gayle Edlund Wilson, COSMOS Advisory Board Chair Emerita
Former California First Lady 1991-1999
Board of Directors, Gilead Science
Board of Trustees, California Institute of Technology
Board of Directors, Science for Society and the Public (SSP)