SACRAMENTO – Two new executive hires will fill key leadership positions within the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and the Foundation for California Community Colleges, incoming Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley announced.

Laura N. Metune, chief consultant for the Assembly Higher Education Committee, has been appointed vice chancellor for external relations and Sandra L. Fried, associate director for state legislative affairs for the University of California, has been selected to be executive director of the Success Center for California Community Colleges, which is operated by the Foundation for California Community Colleges.

“The Chancellor's Office and the Foundation work as one team to support policies and practices that lead to greater opportunities for all Californians,” said Oakley, who takes over as state chancellor on Dec. 19. “Both of these team members possess an extraordinary depth of talent and experience that will provide leadership and support for California’s 113 community colleges as they help more students achieve their educational goals and improve social mobility within our state.”

“The Success Center serves as an important hub for sharing, adoption and implementation of effective practices and policies across the California Community Colleges,” said Keetha Mills, president and CEO of the Foundation for California Community Colleges. “We are thrilled to have Fried join us as we continue to expand the impact of the Success Center and look forward to working with both Fried and Metune to improve student success and completion in our colleges.”

Metune was appointed to the position by Gov. Jerry Brown. In her new role, Metune will oversee a division that represents the Chancellor's Office before the Legislature and executive branch of the state and federal governments. The division is also responsible for formulating and advancing the legislative agenda of the California Community Colleges.

Since June 2013, Metune served as chief consultant for the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, where she prepared bill language, committee amendments, committee analyses and vote recommendations on legislation related to public and private postsecondary education and student financial aid.

Previously, Metune served as bureau chief for the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education, as committee consultant for the Assembly Committee on Higher Education and as legislative director for the office of Sen. Carole Migden.

She also served as a legislative consultant for Senate Committee on Business and Professions, Subcommittee on International Trade Policy for the California Legislative Women's Caucus. Metune earned a bachelor’s degree in government from California State University, Sacramento and a CSUS Transfer Agreement Pattern from American River College. Metune starts her new position Dec. 16.

Fried will lead the Success Center, which launched in 2014 to help the California Community Colleges to coordinate its success-focused initiatives and boost completion rates.

Since May 2013, Fried has served as the associate director for Legislative Affairs at the University of California’s office of State Governmental Relations, where she oversees the staff that works on policy issues with the Legislature and Administration.

Previously, Fried oversaw the Assembly Higher Education Committee as the chief consultant, where for six years she analyzed legislation, managed committee hearings, negotiated policy issues and served as the Assembly’s lead staff person on higher education issues.

She also served on the staff of Assemblymember (now Congresswoman) Susan Davis, with a focus on education issues. Fried began her career as a legislative aide for Speaker Willie Brown, where she worked with various legislators on developing and articulating policy priorities through legislation, media, and constituent engagement.

A native of San Diego, Fried graduated from the University of California, Davis with degrees in history and economics. Fried starts her new position in January.

The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation composed of 72 districts and 113 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year.

For more information about the community colleges, please visit http://californiacommunitycolleges.cccco.edu/ , https://www.facebook.com/CACommColleges or https://twitter.com/CalCommColleges .