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Five Distinguished Leaders in Science and Technology, Policy, Research, and Philanthropy Appointed to CCST Board of Directors
March 2, 2026 | CCST Newsroom
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is pleased to announce the appointment of Bruce Darling, Dr. Harvey Fineberg, Dr. Glenn A. Fox, Dr. William Jeffrey, and Dr. William Tong to its Board of Directors.
Darling, Fineberg, and Jeffrey join the Board as independent directors, while Fox represents the National Laboratories and Tong will represent the California State University (CSU) system. Together, these appointments reflect CCST’s continued commitment to convening distinguished leaders from science and engineering, technology and innovation, public health, national research, policy, higher education, and philanthropy to support evidence-informed decision-making for the State of California.
“We are honored to welcome each of these leaders to the CCST Board,” said Peter Cowhey, PhD, Chair of the CCST Board of Directors. “Mr. Darling, Dr. Fineberg, and Dr. Jeffrey bring distinguished records in national science leadership, public health, philanthropy, and innovation policy, while Dr. Fox and Dr. Tong deepen our ties to the national laboratories and the CSU system. As CCST moves into a new chapter with our recently launched Strategic Plan, their collective expertise will help us to connect science and technology with policy and to support California’s policymakers with trusted, independent advice.”
“These appointments reflect the breadth of expertise needed to address California’s most pressing and complex challenges,” said Andrew McIlroy, PhD, Chair-Elect of the CCST Board of Directors. “Together, their perspectives will strengthen CCST’s ability to connect rigorous science and technology expertise with the real-world policy decisions facing the state.”
Meet the five newly appointed members of the CCST Board of Directors:
Bruce Darling brings decades of leadership in science administration, research policy, and institutional governance, with deep experience supporting evidence-based policymaking at the state and national levels. He previously served for more than two decades on the CCST Board of Directors, contributing to strategic planning and organizational leadership, and now returns as an independent director. Mr. Darling served as Executive Officer of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council from 2012 until his retirement in 2019. Prior to joining the Academy, he held senior leadership roles within the University of California system and worked at the National Science Foundation, including as special assistant to the NSF Director. His career spans research oversight, cross-sector collaboration, and science advisory processes, strengthening CCST’s institutional knowledge and capacity to advance its mission.
Harvey V. Fineberg, MD, PhD, joins the Board as an independent director, bringing distinguished leadership in medicine, public health, science policy, and philanthropy. Dr. Fineberg previously served as President of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, where he advanced major initiatives in science, environmental conservation, and patient care. Earlier in his career, he served as President of the Institute of Medicine (now the National Academy of Medicine) and as Provost of Harvard University. An internationally recognized authority on health policy and decision science, Dr. Fineberg has chaired numerous national and global advisory bodies addressing public health preparedness, biomedical research, and the responsible application of science in society. His experience at the intersection of science, health, and philanthropy strengthens CCST’s ability to support California policymakers confronting complex public health and societal challenges.
Glenn A. Fox, PhD, joins the Board representing California’s six national laboratories, bringing extensive expertise in high-performance computing, national security science, and large-scale research operations. Dr. Fox is a senior leader at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, where his work focuses on supporting and advancing physical and life sciences research to address complex scientific and national challenges. His experience within the national lab ecosystem provides CCST with critical insight into federally supported research infrastructure and its role in advancing innovation, security, and resilience for California and the nation.
William Jeffrey, PhD, brings deep leadership at the intersection of science, technology, innovation, and public policy, with a focus on translating disruptive technologies into real-world impact. He is Founder and General Partner of Airstream Venture Partners and previously served as CEO of SRI International and HRL Laboratories, two premier research and development institutions with significant California footprints. Dr. Jeffrey also served as Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as a Presidential appointee confirmed by the U.S. Senate and has advised multiple federal agencies and national laboratories. His experience across research institutions, venture investment, and public-sector advisory roles strengthens CCST’s ability to support policymakers navigating rapid technological change.
William Tong, PhD, joins the Board representing the California State University system, the nation’s largest four-year public university system. Dr. Tong serves as Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at San Diego State University, where he oversees academic strategy, research, faculty affairs, and student success initiatives, while still running a lab group doing fundamental research. His leadership experience across higher education administration, workforce development, and institutional partnerships strengthens CCST’s connection to CSU’s statewide mission of access, equity, and applied research that supports California’s communities and economy.
“As we implement CCST’s 2025–2029 Strategic Plan, we are expanding our ability to serve California with timely, actionable, and trusted science advice,” said Julianne McCall, PhD, CEO of CCST. “The addition of these exceptional leaders to our Board strengthens our statewide partnerships and positions CCST to deepen our impact at the intersection of science, technology, and policy in the years ahead.”
The full Board of Directors can be found on CCST’s website.
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About the California Council on Science and Technology
The California Council on Science and Technology (CCST) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that serves as a trusted source of expert science and technology advice for California policymakers—powered by a world-class partner network. CCST was established via a unanimous vote of the California State Legislature in 1988 to make California’s policies stronger with science and technology.
About the CCST Board of Directors
The Board of Directors supports CCST’s mission to provide independent and objective advice to policymakers on public policy issues important to the State of California. In addition to the Chair positions, there are 11 seats that represent CCST’s partner institutions: the University of California, California State University System, National Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, the University of California, and the California Community College System. The remaining nine independent board positions represent California’s business, policy, and philanthropic communities.
