Date: Thursday, July 22, 2021 | 2 p.m. 

Moderator: Stuart Casillas (BS Economics, '96)

Host: Ahmad Boura, Vice President of University Advancement

Presenter: Dr. Eddie Vela, Dean, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences 

Dr. Eddie Vela serves as the dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. Dr. Vela completed his undergraduate work in 1980 at Texas State University with majors in psychology and philosophy. He received his master's degree in 1987 from Texas A&M University, where he subsequently earned a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology in 1989. He came to CSU, Chico as a faculty member in the Department of Psychology in the fall of 1989. Dr. Vela has held several leadership positions throughout his career at the university, notably as chair of the Student Evaluation of Teaching committee for many years and also as Director of the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching from 2006-2007.

Stuart Casillas graduated from Chico State with bachelor's degrees in economics and strategic management, and went on to complete his law degree in 1999 from The Ohio State University Moritz School of Law. Stuart worked as an associate for Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman from 1999 to 2005, and joined Kirkland & Ellis LLP in 2005, where he is currently a partner in the corporate group for their San Francisco office. He has experience in negotiating transactions in a wide variety of industries, including software, manufacturing, consumer products, computer hardware, and oil and gas services. Hi is currently a member of the American Bar Association and the California Bar Association.