My New Role - Executive Director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs
I am excited to share that I am taking on a new role – as the executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State LA. University President Berencea Johnson Eanes shared the news with the campus community yesterday. (See below.)
This is a dream job for me. Founded by legendary California Governor Edmund G. “Pat” Brown, the institute is one of the most highly respected public policy institutes in California, “dedicated to the quest for social justice and equality of opportunity, enlightened civic engagement, and enhancing the quality of life for all Californians.” PBI focuses on the things I am passionate about: informing, educating, and engaging people in public affairs; researching and advancing smart public policy; and lifting up a new generation of leaders.
As executive director, I intend to expand the institute’s role in shaping public sector leadership. PBI will magnify the voices of those most impacted by policy, provoke thoughtful examinations of issues, and inspire a more dynamic level of civic engagement. I invite your suggestions on how best to make PBI a vital resource for Los Angeles and California during these challenging and turbulent times.
I am humbled and excited by the opportunity to follow Jaime Regalado and Raphael Sonenshein, former PBI executive directors, and Sascha Brown Rice, the granddaughter of Governor Brown, who has served as interim executive director since 2024. These leaders have brought to life the institute’s mission of “unleashing the power of participation.”
I am particularly stoked to be part of an institution as transformative as Cal State LA. The 27,000-person student body is remarkably diverse, and more than half of the students are among the first in their families to attend college. Cal State LA is ranked as one of the top schools in the nation for the upward economic and social mobility of its students. It is an exciting place to be, and I am grateful to President Eanes for this opportunity.
I begin this new role May 1. Once I start work, I will share my new contact information. In the meantime, feel free to reach me here at mikebonin@mikebonin.com.
Warm Regards,
MIKE
From: Cal State LA <calstatela@calstatela.edu>
Date: Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 8:01 AM
To: Cal State LA <calstatela@calstatela.edu>
Subject: Leadership Announcement: Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs
Dear Golden Eagles,
I am happy to announce that Mike Bonin has been selected as executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs (PBI) at Cal State LA to begin on May 1. As such, Mike will provide critical guidance in motivating young people to be engaged in their communities; raising awareness of timely policy issues; bringing public officials closer to their constituents; and supporting Cal State LA’s mission to serve as an anchor institution for the region.
Mike brings over 25 years of experience in government, politics, and public service. He served on the Los Angeles City Council from 2013 to 2022, representing the city’s Westside and serving on the LA Metro board of directors. During his council tenure, he focused on issues including homelessness, affordable housing, tenant protections, transportation, public safety, and climate change. His accomplishments include raising the citywide minimum wage, implementing renter protections during the pandemic, initiating the city’s transition to clean energy, providing free public transit to students, creating a public safety ambassadors program, contributing to the modernization of LAX, developing homeless housing, and leading a services-led homeless housing initiative.
Mike has also taught at Occidental College and Loyola Marymount University with fellowships at the Open Society Foundations and the USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future. He continues to be a lauded writer, podcaster, and commentator on issues of public policy and public affairs.
Mike has shared with me his eagerness to supercharge PBI’s mission of expanding public engagement with government, encouraging effective leadership, and advancing policies that benefit the people of Los Angeles and California.
As we look to set up the institute for long-term success, PBI will be returning to the Office of the President under the care of Chief of Staff Victor Rojas. My thanks to Sascha Brown Rice, the granddaughter of Governor Brown, who has served as interim executive director since 2024 navigating this time of transition for PBI. I look forward to Mike’s added perspective as we unleash the power of participation.
In community,
Berenecea Johnson Eanes, Ph.D.
President