CA Huskies
Desert Social
Tues. March 18, 2025 3–6 p.m.
Thunderbird Country Club | 70737 Country Club Dr, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
General Admission: $120 | UWAA Members: $95
Raise a glass to the Huskies!
Gather for sips, small bites and community as we reflect on the Husky Experience. Join us in honoring the leadership and service of Ana Mari Cauce, as she concludes a decade as UW President and returns to her role as a member of the faculty. Also, learn what to expect next season from Director of Athletics Pat Chun and Head Football Coach Jedd Fisch, following the University’s momentous move to the Big Ten Conference.
It will be a great afternoon of connection and Purple and Gold pride. We hope to see you there!
About the speakers
UW President Ana Mari Cauce
As the president of one of the world’s great public universities, Ana Mari Cauce is leading the University of Washington in advancing its mission in four key areas: providing a leading-edge student experience, conducting research and scholarship that has a global impact, upholding the UW’s dedication to its public mission and infusing the entire university with a commitment to innovation.
A member of the UW faculty since 1986, Cauce became interim president in March 2015, having previously served as provost and executive vice president, and the UW Board of Regents selected her to become the UW’s 33rd president at a special meeting Oct. 13, 2015.
Throughout her career, Cauce has championed access to higher education, including through the Husky Promise, which provides full tuition to eligible Washington students who otherwise could not attend college. As part of her strong belief in ensuring access to higher education for all, just one month into her role as interim president she engaged students in an honest discussion about race and equity, launching an effort to create a more just and diverse community.
Director of Athletics Pat Chun
The University of Washington appointed Pat Chun as its 17th Director of Athletics on March 26, 2024. Prior to that, Mr. Chun served in the same role at Washington State University in 2018 and earned the distinction of Under Armor Athletic Director of the Year in 2020.
In 2024 Chun was appointed to the College Football Playoff Selection Committee and serves on the NCAA Division I Council after serving as president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics during the 2023-24 year. He previously served on the NCAA Division I Transformation Committee and is a co-founder of the Asian American & Pacific Islander Athletics Alliance.
At Washington State, Chun oversaw successes in competition and the classroom and secured record levels of donor support. His appointment at WSU made him the first Asian-American athletics director to lead a Power Five program.
Prior to his time in the Palouse, Chun began his career in a series of roles at The Ohio State University lasting from 1997 to 2012, ultimately serving as Executive Associate Athletics Director. During his time at OSU overseeing external relations, he led three consecutive record fundraising years and led negotiations of what was at the time the largest multimedia rights deal in intercollegiate athletics history.
Head Football Coach Jedd Fisch
Jedd Fisch was named the 31st head coach of the University of Washington football program on Jan. 14, 2024.
Fisch comes to UW following three years at the University of Arizona, taking the program from one win in his first year in 2021 to ten wins in 2023, including an Alamo Bowl victory. He garnered national acclaim in 2023, and was named as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award and the Dodd Trophy, presented annually to the nation’s top head coach.
Prior to Arizona, Fisch served as the quarterbacks coach with the New England Patriots under Head Coach Bill Belichick. He previously served as an offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach or assistant with the Los Angeles Rams, UCLA, the University of Michigan, Jacksonville Jaguars, the University of Miami, Seattle Seahawks, the University of Minnesota, the Denver Broncos and the Baltimore Ravens, and as a quality control coach with the Houston Texans. He got his start at the collegiate levels serving as a graduate assistant at the University of Florida under Steve Spurrier. In addition to Belichick and Spurrier, other mentors include Pete Carroll, Brian Billick and Jim Harbaugh.
Fisch is a native of Livingston, N.J. and graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Criminology in 1998, and a Master’s degree in sports management in 2000.
