The Cal State University Board of Trustees announced this week that Mary Ann Villarreal’s appointment as Cal State Dominguez Hills interim president will be extended through the 2028-29 academic year.

The extension was announced by CSU Chancellor Mildred García on Wednesday, Sept. 30, noting that the national search for the new CSUDH president will begin in fall 2028.

“Under interim President Mary Ann Villarreal’s leadership, and thanks to the skilled and student-centered work of the entire campus community, CSU Dominguez Hills has built undeniable positive momentum across its operations, from enrollment and fiscal management to community engagement and – most importantly – student success,” García said in a written statement. “In addition, CSUDH has made impressive progress in expanding partnerships with the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, providing once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for the entire campus community.”

Villarreal took over in an interim capacity at the beginning of last year after the university’s former president, Thomas Parham, retired at the end of 2025.

Villarreal is no stranger to working with the CSU. She worked at Cal State Fullerton from 2014 to 2019, first as the director of strategic initiatives and university projects and later as its associate vice president of academic affairs. More recently, she was a strategic consultant for the chancellor’s office, CSU said.

Villarreal is also a U.S. Air Force veteran and a first-generation college graduate. Prior to taking the position as CSUDH interim president, she was vice president for institutional excellence at the American Association of Colleges and Universities. And, prior to that, Villarreal was the University of Utah’s first vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion.

“I am deeply honored to continue serving the CSU Dominguez Hills community,” Villarreal said in a written statement. “Our faculty and staff bring extraordinary talent and commitment to CSUDH. Together we have the opportunity to build something remarkable for our students and deepen our impact across the South Bay and greater Los Angeles. I look forward to the great things we will do together.”