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Employee Spotlight: Brad de la Cruz

Brad de la Cruz has been an asset to the External Relations development team for almost three years. As the Regional Director of Development for the North Central Valley, he carries a lot of responsibility, has a deep commitment to the growth of the university, and believes UC Merced is an invaluable addition to the Central Valley.

Brad consistently displays the experience and discipline as a catalyst to lead the change. He holds a bachelor’s degree cum laude from San Francisco State with a dual major in Philosophy and Fine Arts and a master’s in public administration from CSU, Stanislaus. He gained invaluable experience as an intern with the Asian Law Caucus in San Francisco, the nation’s first legal and civil rights organization serving low-income, immigrant, and underserved Asian Americans and Pacific Islander communities. At the Asian Law Caucus, he had the opportunity to work alongside attorneys, staff, board members and donors toward a mission he felt personally connected to.

Brad cites his biggest challenge as setting adequate time aside to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Born in Canada, his family moved to Modesto when he was thirteen, where he still lives now. He spends his personal time with his parents, his children Phoenix (14) and Paisley (12), and his dog Gia (4).

When not working and spending time with family, Brad is balancing his life with the same voracity he invests in his work. He is a 3rd degree Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt and also enjoys surfing, tennis and painting.

Brad wholeheartedly invests his effort in every task he undertakes, which is apparent in every aspect of his life, and makes him an invaluable member of the ER team.