Jessica Darin, deputy chief of staff for the California State University Chancellor’s Office and a 10-year veteran of higher education administration, has been named Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong’s new chief of staff and associate vice president, the university announced.
Darin will oversee daily operations of the President’s Office, which includes University Communications, the office of Student Ombuds Services, and the Office of University Legal Counsel. She will also serve as Armstrong’s point of contact with Cal Poly’s Academic Senate, Associated Students, Inc., and other internal and external stakeholders. Darin will assume her new role May 2.
“Jessica’s background as an administrator at both the campus and system level within California public higher education makes her an excellent fit for Cal Poly,” Armstrong said. “She has an innate understanding of our mission to help students become tomorrow’s leaders.
“Equally important, Jessica’s demonstrated professional excellence will serve Cal Poly well in a key position that touches all aspects of the campus as well as the surrounding community. We are excited to welcome her to the Cal Poly family.”
Darin has served for three years as deputy chief of staff for CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White. Prior to that, she worked for seven years in the Chancellor’s Office at UC Riverside. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from UC Riverside and master’s degrees in management from the University of Redlands and in public administration from Cal State Long Beach. Darin, age 51, has two children, Amanda and Emily.
Darin will succeed previous chief of staff Betsy Kinsley, who left the university for a new role in Lake Tahoe, Calif., in late 2015, as well as faculty fellow Rachel Fernflores, who is serving as interim chief of staff until Darin’s arrival.