Colleagues,
I want to share an important transition on the Health Sciences leadership team. After a decade of extraordinary service to UC San Diego, Brandon Rhodes will leave the university as of October 11 to join UC Berkeley as assistant vice chancellor and chief of staff to the vice chancellor of Development and Alumni Relations.
Brandon joined UC San Diego in October 2016, and I have been fortunate to work closely with him since I arrived in 2023. Brandon has been an exceptional partner and steady force behind many of Health Sciences’ most significant transitions and achievements. He helped guide the transition from a combined vice chancellor/dean model to separate leadership roles and supported the transition from Vice Chancellor Brenner to my leadership. He oversaw recruitment efforts for all three of our deans, numerous institute and center directors, department chairs and other senior leaders; helped develop important policies and processes; and built strong relationships across the Chancellor’s Office, UC San Diego Health, our schools, centers and institutes.
Brandon has helped us navigate through some of our most challenging and consequential moments, including responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, launch of the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Sciences, creation of several new centers and institutes, and most recent period of threats to federal funding and other policy changes. Through it all, he has been the person in the room figuring out what needed to happen next — and then making it happen, always representing this office with exceptional judgment, professionalism and care.
Brandon’s contributions have spanned strategy, operations, thought partnership, relationships and connections, and he has helped shape decisions that have led to meaningful outcomes for Health Sciences and the broader campus community. He has been a trusted adviser to me and to many others across Health Sciences, and his impact is reflected in countless decisions, initiatives and accomplishments that would not have happened in the same way without him.
Most importantly, Brandon cares deeply about people. He talks about his greatest satisfaction as helping others achieve success — and many of the colleagues he has worked with over the years have become friends. We have been incredibly fortunate to have Brandon as part of our team, and he will be deeply missed. I know he will bring the same judgment, energy and generosity to Berkeley, and I wish him every success in this next chapter.
Beginning October 5, Sarah Bjorkman will serve as interim chief of staff until a permanent chief of staff is named in 2027. Sarah will work closely with our leadership team and me to keep Health Sciences moving forward, advance our highest-priority work, provide perspective and counsel, and help resolve issues. She will continue to provide overall strategic direction for Health Sciences Communications while also helping define the scope and structure of the permanent chief of staff role and ensuring continuity of our strategic initiatives.
Please join me in expressing our tremendous gratitude to Brandon for his remarkable service to UC San Diego and in welcoming Sarah to this new role.
Sincerely,
