February 11, 2022
NCCPC’s 2nd Annual All Member Meeting
About the Event
NCCPC staff and members connect once every year to celebrate each other and the network, acknowledge our achievements in the current fiscal year, reconnect on our shared vision for the future, and share upcoming activities and opportunities, which include how to get resources to support your organization and how to contribute and get involved.
While our steering champion and advocate members routinely convene in committees, these NCCPC All Member Meetings are our only opportunity to bring all our members in one place to highlight our achievements to date and update you on upcoming opportunities and activities.
Event Highlights
During NCCPC’s 2nd Annual All Member Meeting, key discussions and priorities included:
Advocacy and Support:
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- Advocating for equity-focused funding initiatives in higher education.
- Supporting AB-288, a bill that encourages institutions to collaborate with scholarship providers and students to avoid scholarship displacement.
- Promoting and supporting Governor Newsom’s “roadmap to California’s future,” focusing on student outcomes, equity reduction, and workforce preparation.
- Advocating for the implementation of the student-centered funding formula, prioritizing low-income and first-generation students and student outcomes.
- Supporting measures in the budget for college affordability and financial aid, including increased funding for student success grants, resources for financial aid offices, and emergency assistance for AD 540 students.
Other Topics Discussed:
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- Student Enrollment and Retention: Emphasizing efforts to increase college enrollment and improve student retention, especially for underrepresented and low-income students.
- Affordable Housing for College Students: Addressing the need for affordable and safe housing options.
- America’s College Promise Proposal: Highlighting the potential benefits of providing two years of free community college for eligible students and the importance of bipartisan support.
- State Legislative Priorities: Identifying priorities such as college funding, support for workforce development programs, and initiatives promoting college affordability and student success.
- Financial Aid Reform: Acknowledging the need for financial aid reform to simplify the application process and increase transparency.
Keynote speakers
David O’Brien
Vice Chancellor of Government Relations, California Community Colleges
David O’Brien has served as Vice Chancellor for Government Relations for the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office since April 2020. In this role, he oversees a division responsible for formulating and advancing the legislative agenda of the California Community Colleges and represents the Chancellor’s Office before the Legislature and executive branch of the state and federal governments.
Before joining the Chancellor’s Office in April 2020, O’Brien served as director of government affairs for the California Student Aid Commission since October 2016, a role that placed him as the commission’s primary liaison to the state Legislature, the Governor’s Office, the California Department of Finance and other agencies on matters related to financial aid and college affordability. That made him a critical figure in the commission’s efforts to reform and expand California’s financial aid programs. Before joining the Student Aid Commission, O’Brien worked for nearly five years as a legislative manager for the California Department of State Hospitals, a legislative analyst for the state Department of Mental Health, and a legislative assistant for the California Environmental Protection Agency. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from California State University, Sacramento, and lives in West Sacramento with his wife, a public school teacher.
Dr. Genie Kim is the systemwide Director for Student Mental Health and Well-being for the University of California Office of the President. She serves as the primary lead for UC’s Basic Needs efforts. She has been in higher education for over ten years and has held various roles during her career within the County of San Luis Obispo and non-profit human services agencies. Genie obtained her Doctorate in Social Work from the University of Southern California, where she focused her research on Harnessing Technology for Social Good to address student mental health, well-being, and basic needs.
Dr. Genie Kim, DSW
Director, Student Mental Health & Well-being Graduate, Undergraduate, and Equity Affairs, UC Office of the President
