Former Assemblymember Juan Arambula, an Independent, was elected Chair of the Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at California State University, Fresno.  His term will begin on January 1, 2013.

The Maddy Institute was established in 1999 by a unanimous vote of the California Legislature in honor of State Senator Ken Maddy and his 28 years of public service in California. Maddy, a 1956 Fresno State graduate, best summarized the Institute’s purpose: “…we want to influence young people to get involved in politics.” Today the Institute offers intern scholarships for university students in public service positions, provides practical training for local officials and civic leaders and encourages dialogue about public policy issues especially those that impact Central California.

“We are delighted that Assemblymember Arambula will be building on the

[Maddy Institute’s] foundation and ensure that the Maddy Institute will continue to be an important asset not just for Fresno State, but for the region and the state as a whole,” said Fresno State President John D. Welty of the appointment.

Assemblymember Arambula is the son of immigrant farm workers and spent his youth harvesting crops with his family. He went on to graduate from Harvard University, and get a Master’s degree from Stanford University and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of California, Berkeley. He was elected to the California Assembly in 2004 and named “Legislator of the Year” by both the California Small Business Association and the California Association for Local Economic Development before he retired in 2010.

“I have always been committed to the Central Valley and I am a firm believer in giving back,” said Assemblymember Arambula. “As a result, I am honored by this opportunity to help lead the Maddy Institute as a regional asset and one of the most active and engaged public affairs institutes in the state.”

Prior to his election to the Assembly, Arambula served on the Fresno Unified School District Board from 1987 to 1996, where he worked to meet the needs of a diverse student population while maintaining financial stability during lean budget years. From 1997 until 2004, Arambula served on the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. He has served on the Board of Directors for the California School Boards Association and the California State Association of Counties. In 2002, he earned the Rose Ann Vuich Award for Ethics in Leadership.

He now lives in Fresno with Amy, his wife of 36 years. He has four adult children: Joaquin, Carmen, Diego and Miguel.

Arambula is the third chair of the Institute and replaces former Sen. Minority Leader Dave Cogdill, Chairman since January 1, 2011. Don Jackson, who was instrumental in establishing the Maddy Institute, was its first Chair from 2000 until 2010.

Maddy Institutes highlights under Cogdill’s leadership:

  • Helped raise over $250,000 for student scholarships
  • Expanded the Maddy Intern Program to several new offices, including Cong. Kevin McCarthy (Majority Whip) from Bakersfield, State Sen. Sam Blakeslee from San Luis Obispo and numerous city and county offices throughout the San Joaquin Valley.
  • Expanded The Maddy Report to the Sacramento area on KVIE (PBS-Sacramento) and statewide on The California Channel
  • Increased The Maddy Daily to 10,000+ subscribers
  • Increased The Maddy Associate membership by 33% and hosted such guest speakers as Gov. Jerry Brown and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein.

Maddy Institute highlights under Jackson’s leadership:

  • Raised over $1 million in grants, events and programs
  • Created scholarships for more than 150 federal and state legislative interns
  • Established The Maddy Report, a monthly one-hour public affairs TV program
  • Established The Maddy Forum, a weekly 30-minute public affairs radio program
  • Established The Maddy Daily, an e-newsletter on politics and policy, that currently has 7,000+ subscribers
  • Established The Maddy Associates, a public affairs seminar series that has hosted talks by some of the state’s and nation’s top public policy minds such as David Walker, Comptroller General of the U.S and Alice Rivlin, former Office of Management and Budget Director

For more information about the Kenneth L. Maddy Institute, contact the Institute at 559-278-1133 or mkeppler@csufresno.edu.

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