CSUDH will celebrate the achievements of nearly 4,200 graduates during its 2026 Commencement ceremonies on May 15 and 16.
The Class of 2026 reflects CSUDH’s mission of providing high-quality, accessible education that prepares graduates to meet regional workforce needs in health care, education, business, public service, and technology. CSUDH is a leading driver of social mobility, graduating students who uplift their families, give back to their communities, and power the region’s economy.
Highlighting this year’s celebrations, civic and philanthropic leaders, business pioneers, and community innovators will keynote the ceremonies. CSUDH will also confer a Doctor of Humane Letters upon Miguel A. Santana, President and CEO of the California Community Foundation. The honorary doctorate is in recognition of Santana’s decades of leadership advancing equity, economic opportunity, and social justice in Los Angeles.
The distinguished 2026 CSUDH Commencement keynote speakers will be:
Friday, May 15
College of Arts & Humanities/College of Education – 9 a.m.
Meher Tatna is a producer and journalist. Over the last 20 years, her film criticism, essays and interviews have appeared in Vogue, Grazia, Femina and Elle in India, IMN in Singapore and Malaysia, and The New Paper in Singapore. As an international journalist, she served as president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association from 2017-18. She has been a Golden Globes voter since 2002 and served in every position in the association’s administration—including as president from 2017-19. She expanded philanthropic efforts during her tenure, including increasing film restoration funding and major grants for journalism.
College of Natural & Behavioral Sciences – 1:30 p.m.
Ted Ross, a CSUDH alumnus, is Chief Information Officer for the City of Los Angeles and General Manager of the Information Technology Agency. His department delivers enterprise IT services to 48,000 employees across 45 city departments and digital services to more than 4 million L.A. residents. Appointed by Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2015, Ross has more than 25 years of private and public sector technology experience. He has earned numerous accolades, including #1 Digital City (three years in a row), Top 25 Doer & Dreamer, and Southern California CIO of the Year.
College of Natural & Behavioral Sciences (Psychology)/College of Health, Human Services and Nursing (Nursing) – 6 p.m.
Keith Hobbs is President/CEO of Torrance Memorial Medical Center, a 443-bed non-profit medical center affiliated with the Cedars-Sinai Health System. Prior to joining Torrance Memorial in 2021, Hobbs served as CEO of USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, where he improved hospital finances and patient experience, built a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, established a physician network strategy, and developed a Graduate Medical Education resident program. He currently serves on the Hospital Association of Southern California Board of Directors, is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and is a member of the Medical Group Management Association.
Saturday, May 16
College of Health, Human Services and Nursing – 9 a.m.
Clayton Frech has led organizations ranging from start-ups to $150 million operations. A nationally recognized expert on the adaptive and Paralympic sports movement, Frech founded Angel City Sports in 2013 to provide free, year-round access to adaptive sports training, competition, and equipment for children and adults with physical disabilities. Now providing 4,000 athlete experiences per year across 30 sports, the organization is leading the movement ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Paralympic Games. Frech is also the creator and producer of the Paralympian docuseries Adaptive on NBC Peacock and was an Executive Producer on the documentary film Row of Life. He currently serves on the board of Move United.
College of Business Administration and Public Policy – 1:30 p.m.
As President of Business Operations and Chief Operating Officer for LA Galaxy, Tom Braun also oversees Ventura County FC, LA Galaxy Academy, and the LA Galaxy Foundation. In his first year as club president, LA Galaxy won its sixth MLS Cup title, marking its first championship in ten years. Under Braun’s leadership, the team has also set revenue records across ticket sales, sponsorship, programming, merchandise, concessions, and foundation support. Braun created and leads AEG’s Sports Business Development, launching major event initiatives such as the Soccer Champions Tour and Coachella Valley Invitational. He also serves on the Advisory Board for the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission.
All Colleges: Master’s Degrees – 6:00 p.m.
Miguel A. Santana has more than three decades of experience leading policy reforms and community-driven solutions in Los Angeles. In 2023, he became President and CEO of the California Community Foundation (CCF), which stewards $2.6 billion in assets and awards over $300 million annually. Under his direction, CCF raised millions of dollars for wildfire survivors and immigrant communities and led voter engagement efforts to pass Measure A for affordable housing. He is an active civic leader, serving as Chair of The Angeleno Project, Second Vice Chair of the L.A. County Affordable Housing Solutions Authority, and as a board member of the Surdna Foundation and Black Freedom Fund. CSUDH will award Santana an honorary doctorate in recognition of his work advancing social justice.
The Commencement ceremonies are expected to welcome 40,000 total guests to the Tennis Stadium at Dignity Health Sports Park, an internationally recognized sports complex home to LA Galaxy and located on the university campus. More details can be found on the CSUDH Commencement website.
