Trio join Woodbury University Board of Trustees
A technology expert, an alumnus and a design industry veteran are the three newest members of the Woodbury University Board of Trustees.
Maria Alvarez, Ignacio Rodriguez and Claire Thompson were appointed to the institution’s main governing board, which handles policy, academics and appointments. Their terms are for three years and are renewable.
“Maria, Ignacio and Claire are all longtime stalwarts of Woodbury and their contributions to the university have already had a profound effect on our students,” wrote board chair Greg Lippe, in a news release. “Their involvement in the Woodbury community complements their professional accomplishments in their respective fields.”
Rodriguez is the chief executive officer of his own company, Granada Hills-centered IR Architects, which specializes in luxury homes in upscale areas such as Hollywood Hills, Beverly Hills and Pacific Palisades.
In 2016, Rodriguez established a set of scholarships for Woodbury’s School of Architecture, from which he graduated in 2007.
“I am humbled and honored to have been selected to join Woodbury’s prestigious board of trustees,” Rodriguez said. “Woodbury helped me to build my professional foundation and was my second home. I met my wife and several of my closest friends and colleagues at Woodbury, which gives it an even greater importance in my life. I look forward to serving amongst my fellow board members in helping Woodbury evolve into an even brighter future.”
Thompson is another entrepreneurial success, as she’s built two boutique design firms and is the principal of the Thompson Collaborative LLC.
Thompson has worked for clients such as Warner Bros., DreamWorks Records, Lifetime and the A&E Networks and has helped fund scholarship programs throughout Southern California.
“My professional career experience has included serving on the board of directors of the interior design industry’s professional organizations, [the American Society of Interior Designers] and [the Commercial Interior Design Assn.],” Thompson said. “The responsibilities of those boards are similar to the University’s board of trustees: strategic direction and financial oversight, public awareness, community outreach, and helping prepare students for their future in the profession.”
Alvarez brings an international resume that includes her work as the chief technology officer for Spanish-based Panda Security.
She has also worked for tech giants such as Yahoo and Hewlett Packard and is an executive with Microsoft’s Artificial Intelligence and Research Group.
Last year, Alvarez and Microsoft combined to donate $20,000 in creating a Microsoft Applied Computer Science Scholarship Fund at Woodbury.
Alvarez was traveling and unavailable for comment.
With the addition of the three new participants, there are now 19 active members of the board of trustees with four trustee emeriti. In just over the last two years, the board has added six women in an attempt to diversify.
“Personal and civic responsibility, creativity and entrepreneurship are hallmarks of a Woodbury education, and so too are these qualities reflected in our Board of Trustees,” Woodbury University President David Steele-Figueredo said. “All three new trustees will further diversify the makeup of the board. Even prior to their board service, they have enriched the university in countless ways. We cherish their involvement and the example they set for the Woodbury community.”
