Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro announced two appointments to the University Advisory Board, a panel of community members who provide advice on improvement and development of the University.

The Rev. Dr. Carl L. Jones, an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and Chris Roggenstein, founder and CEO of Forward Advantage Inc. and Physician Network Advantage, will serve through June 2019.

“I am pleased that two strong community partners, Rev. Jones and Mr. Roggenstein, have joined the advisory board,” said Castro. “They bring valuable perspectives and expertise that will assist in our mission to promote student success.”

Rev. Carl Jones, a native of Massachusetts, moved to Fresno in 2005 after retiring from the Massachusetts Legislature where he served as executive administrator of the Massachusetts Black Legislative Caucus.  In 2009, he was recruited as executive analyst of the Fresno City Council under City Council President Cynthia Sterling. He also worked as chief of staff.

He has served as senior pastor of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in Fowler and Carter Memorial AME Church in Fresno. For over fifty years, Rev. Jones has worked at the state and national level for social and community change.  For years, his primary focus was working to improve public housing for low-income residents.

Rev. Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at University of Lowell, a master’s in criminal justice at Northeastern University, a master’s of divinity at Andover Newton School of Divinity and a doctorate of divinity with highest honors at Ecclesia University of Divinity International.

Chris Roggenstein founded Forward Advantage in 1993. The company provides software and services to more than 1,200 health systems and hospitals in North America, the United Kingdom, Asia and Africa. Physician Network Advantage provides software and services to physician offices.

Roggenstein also serves as the chairman of Forward Advantage Foundation, which provides funding for local charities (Fresno and Boston) as well as healthcare services to the poor and underserved in the village of Kipkaren, Kenya through its funding of the Chebaiywa Health Center and the Living Room Hospice.

Roggenstein previously worked at Ernst and Young, as a founding partner in a consulting firm and as chief information officer at Navmed. He was a founder and president of the Saint Agnes Young Men’s Club and currently serves on the Clovis Community Hospital Development Council.

Roggenstein earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Fresno State.