The NCAA News - News and Features

July 21, 1997

California university administrator to head NCAA public affairs group

Celeste Rose, currently serving as assistant vice-president for university relations and special assistant to the president of the University of California, has been named NCAA group executive director for public affairs.

Rose, the first black woman appointed to the NCAA's senior management staff, will join the Association August 25.

Her new responsibilities for the Association's public affairs efforts include broadcast services, federal governmental relations, graphics, The NCAA News, public information and communication, publishing, and statistics.

"We are very fortunate to have attracted an individual with the background and experience that Celeste has," said NCAA Executive Director Cedric W. Dempsey. "Her experience in higher education and public affairs will be an enormous asset to the Association."

Named to her present position in 1992, Rose is also special assistant to the president of the nine-campus University of California system. In her current capacity, Rose has provided public relations advice and counsel to three presidents and to executive officers within the university.

In addition, Rose and her staff have planned and implemented university relations programs in news and communications, development policy administration, state and federal advocacy, alumni affairs and public ceremonies.

A member of the University of California Office of the President since 1984, she served two years as assistant director and then five years as associate director of state governmental relations. In that capacity, she acted as a policy and fiscal advocate on behalf of the university before the California legislature.

From 1981 to 1984, Rose was legislative aide for California State Assembly Speaker Willie L. Brown Jr. and was responsible for policy matters affecting public and private postsecondary education.

Rose earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1977 and a juris doctorate from the University of California, Davis, in 1982. Rose also participated in the Harvard University Graduate School of Education Institute for Educational Management in 1990.