Sarah Valdovinos, MEd, has been appointed Associate Vice Chancellor of Strategy and Administration for UCI Health Affairs.
In her capacity as Associate Vice Chancellor, Valdovinos will lead the administrative and strategic initiatives for Health Affairs. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, her responsibilities will encompass overseeing all levels of administration and operational strategy for communications, external relations, events, research initiatives, scientific affairs, as well as the management of finance, HR, IT, building operations and capital projects. Her proven efficiency and effectiveness in management will be crucial in propelling high-priority projects and initiatives towards success.
Valdovinos is a valued leader known for her strategic vision and collaborative spirit. With over 12 years of leadership experience in higher education, her expertise in driving strategic partnerships and leading various project teams is invaluable. Her ability to foster cross-campus collaborations and open channels of communication among students, faculty, staff and executive leadership positions her perfectly for this new role.
Most recently, Valdovinos served as the Director of Research and Strategic Initiatives within the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs (OVCHA). She led critical initiatives for the immediate OVCHA and spanning Health Affairs strategic priority areas. Since January, she has excelled in an interim role overseeing the administration and operations of the OVCHA, supervising all senior-level staff and managing key programmatic efforts for operations, capital projects, communications, research and decision support.
Prior to joining the OVCHA in 2021, Valdovinos held several key positions across academic and student affairs at UCLA. In her role as Assistant Director of the Graduate Student Resource Center, she led a team of professional and student staff dedicated to serving 14,000 graduate students. As Manager of Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Professional Development, her work focused on strategic planning, operations, and the development of short and long-term professional development initiatives. Valdovinos holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Texas and a Master of Education degree from UCLA.
Valdovinos’s appointment marks a significant step forward in our commitment to the One Health vision for education, research, and service – enabling equitable, precision care and fostering a diverse future healthcare workforce.
