Ken Montera has been elected as chair and Callie Rennison as vice chair of the University of Colorado Board of Regents for the upcoming year. The election was part of the board’s regular leadership selection process, which also included new committee assignments.
According to university regulations, the roles of chair and vice chair cannot be held by members of the same political party. Elections must be conducted via secret ballot if more than one candidate is nominated for either position.
Montera, a Republican representing Colorado’s 5th Congressional District, previously served as vice chair. He was appointed to the board by Governor Jared Polis in December 2021 and later won elections in 2022 and 2024. Montera has over three decades of experience as a senior executive at Fortune 200 companies and is a graduate of CU’s Leeds School of Business.
“We all know the critical contributions CU makes to the success of individual lives, advancing research and creative endeavors, in health care provision and to our state and national economy,” Montera told the board following his election. “Each one of you understands that impact and feels the weight of ensuring that impact grows through your leadership efforts.”
Rennison, a Democrat from the 2nd Congressional District, joined the board in 2020. She is professor emerita and former associate dean at CU Denver’s School of Public Affairs, where she also directed equity initiatives.
“I want to celebrate the fact that a strength of our board is that we act in a bipartisan, collaborative way that puts CU’s interests first. We are pragmatic and strive to build bridges to the benefit of CU,” Rennison said. “I’m anxious to keep working for the benefit of all our faculty, staff and students as CU continues to add value to the state of Colorado, our nation and our world.”
The Board consists of nine members who serve staggered six-year terms—one from each congressional district plus one at-large member—and oversees university operations including budget management.
Committee assignments for 2026 were also announced:
– Governance Committee: Elliott Hood (chair), Frank McNulty (vice chair), Ray Scott, Callie Rennison
– Finance Committee: Nolbert Chavez (chair), Ray Scott (vice chair), Ilana Dubin Spiegel, Ken Montera
– University Affairs Committee: Mark VanDriel (chair), Ilana Dubin Spiegel (vice chair), Elliott Hood, Frank McNulty
– Audit Committee: Frank McNulty (chair), Callie Rennison (vice chair), Mark VanDriel, Nolbert Chavez
Regents will continue serving in liaison roles on several external committees such as investment advisory boards and foundations related to university interests.
