Meet the Leadership

Christina Chase is a highly accomplished finance and accounting professional with over 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector, including more than a decade in higher education. Currently, she serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement Services at UC San Diego and is the Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the UC San Diego Foundation.As Associate Vice Chancellor for Advancement Services at UC San Diego, Christina leads a comprehensive range of services that support the university's fundraising and engagement efforts, including gift services, foundation and board operations, gift policy administration, donor and fund stewardship, gift accounting, and investment operations and reporting. As CFO and COO of the UC San Diego Foundation, she is responsible for the financial stewardship and operational management of the foundation's assets, working closely with the Board of Directors and various committees.Prior to joining UC San Diego, Christina served as the Controller and CFO of the UCLA Foundation and CFO of the UCLA Investment Company. Christina is a licensed attorney and a certified public accountant in California. She earned her Juris Doctor degree with a specialization in taxation from the UCLA School of Law and her Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance from Georgia State University. She is an active volunteer and leader in various professional organizations, including the University Credit Union Supervisory Committee, UCLA Law Women LEAD, and the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program.With her extensive experience, strategic vision, and commitment to excellence, Christina continues to make significant contributions to the advancement of higher education and the non-profit sector.

Natalee Ellars is the Senior Executive Director, Alumni Engagement at UC San Diego. She leads the alumni engagement team which includes university-wide alumni engagement, volunteer leadership, regional engagement, student engagement, alumni relations, alumni marketing and digital outreach. Prior to joining the UC San Diego team, Natalee served for more than 10 years at UCLA Alumni in leadership roles as Senior Director, Events and Business Development; Senior Director Marketing and Membership; and Executive Director. Natalee has a strong foundation in marketing and communications and is best known for her ability to lead through challenges with creativity and a positive attitude. Passion for data and reporting is a legacy of Natalee’s first career in financial services. That passion is equally matched with her genuine care for people and building community. Natalee is a graduate of Claremont McKenna College with a B.A. in History and Organizational Psychology.

Renee Duci is the Chief of Staff and Operations for Alumni Relations at UC San Diego, where she provides strategic leadership and ensures alignment with the university's mission. Reporting to the Assistant Vice Chancellor, she oversees administrative operations, driving efficiency and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration within a diverse team.

Before joining UC San Diego, Renee spent nearly a decade at the Academy for Professional Excellence, a project of San Diego State University Research Foundation. As Training Operations Manager, she supervised a team of 17 staff, coordinated over 1,000 workforce development programs annually, and played a key role in operational strategy, staff development, and contract management. Her expertise in project management, process improvement, and cross-functional collaboration has enabled her to successfully lead complex initiatives.

Renee holds an MBA from Assumption University and a BA in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Dr. Michael Bumbry manages a team of engagement officers providing support to the academic units, graduate schools, and colleges, with a focus on events, volunteer opportunities, and annual giving. He has nearly 15 years of experience in higher education, including careers in both student affairs and advancement. Prior to coming to UC San Diego, Michael served as Director of Development at the Kogod School of Business at American University. He received his B.A. in broadcast communications from Elon University, M.Ed. in higher education administration from North Carolina State University, and Ph.D. in higher education administration from Loyola University Chicago.

Lisa is responsible for the management of Alumni Engagement in the academic divisions and graduate and professional schools. She oversees a team of Alumni Engagement directors who work with alumni from their respective schools and divisions. Lisa’s team is focused on forging lifelong connections between alumni and UC San Diego, including engaging alumni as volunteers, corporate partners, and/or philanthropists.

Paula collaborates with colleagues to foster and strengthen campus-wide alumni engagement within the UC San Diego community. This effort includes coordinating and delivering meaningful student and alumni engagement experiences, volunteer programs and communications involving the UC San Diego Alumni Board of Directors, special interest groups, current students and the university’s 250,000 graduates.