Amy Gardner
Executive Director | amygardner@berkeley.edu
In her role as executive director, Amy leads the strategic framework for campuswide partnership collaboration and engagement, working directly with campus stakeholders to identify and cultivate “industries of opportunity” while ensuring partnership opportunities are in alignment with Berkeley’s values and mission of teaching, research and public service. Amy is a national leader in the industry, serving as a founding board member of the non-profit University Partnerships Community of Practice.
Prior to joining UBPS in 2015, Amy served as the director of corporate and community relations with the San Francisco Bowl Game where she was responsible for sponsorship development, event planning and game operations. She graduated from UC Berkeley with a double major in psychology and economics and received a master's degree in sport management from the University of San Francisco.
Jane Christen
Executive Assistant | jchristen@berkeley.edu
Jane provides executive support to Executive Director Amy Gardner and the team members of University Business Partnerships & Services. In addition, she assists with complex scheduling, strategic problem solving, event logistics and meeting coordination, while working on special assignments designed to meet and benefit the needs of UBPS.
Prior to joining UBPS, Jane served as an executive assistant in the Letters & Sciences Deans’ Office where she acted as the primary liaison between senior executives and university administrators, donors, faculty, and the general public. Jane received her bachelor’s degree in resource management from the University of California, Berkeley and earned a master’s in environmental law and her juris doctor from Vermont Law School.
Anissa Hagedorn
Partner Relationship Manager | anissahagedorn@berkeley.edu
Anissa serves as the partner relationship manager for UBPS. She oversees the campus’s long-term relationships with UPP partners and campus stakeholders. Anissa acts as an intermediary between our partner community and the university, ensuring these partnerships are well represented at Berkeley while prioritizing campus stakeholder’s needs. She is responsible for bringing to life the engagement and impact of each unique relationship. Additionally, Anissa supports specific departments with their own sponsorship programs, including, but not limited to New Student Services, Recreational & Wellbeing, the ASUC Student Union and the Berkeley International Office.
Anissa graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor's degree in rhetoric and communication. She has over 27 years of experience in both marketing and management.
Amber Hopkins
Director of Communications & Brand Management | amber.hopkins@berkeley.edu
As director of communications and brand management for UBPS, Amber is responsible for overseeing and implementing the department's strategic communications plan including the website, social media, public relations, marketing, publications and presentations. She works as a direct liaison to match the interests and needs of external partners with the strengths of campus stakeholders and the UC Berkeley brand. In addition, Amber supports communications efforts for the Berkeley Space Center (BSC).In this capacity, she oversees the BSC academic website and programming communications, including editorials, promotional collateral and social media.
Prior to joining UC Berkeley in 2015, Amber worked as a communications coordinator at Texas A&M University. She has over 24 years of experience working in corporate and higher education marketing and communications. Amber earned a bachelor of business administration in marketing from Texas A&M University.
Brandon Schneider
Director of Strategic Partnerships | bschneid@berkeley.edu
Brandon develops innovative collaborations between UC Berkeley and leading businesses. These opportunities include campuswide partnerships, as well as tailored engagements with individual Berkeley units and faculty. He works through prospecting, qualification, cultivation, proposal, execution and evaluation to craft and maintain mutually beneficial relationships in fields ranging from the arts to entrepreneurship.
Brandon earned a Ph.D. from the UC Berkeley Department of Italian Studies and a certificate in new media from the Berkeley Center for New Media.
Ava Richards
Marketing & Communications Assistant | ava.richards@berkeley.edu
Ava serves as the marketing and communications assistant for University Business Partnerships & Services. She is responsible for developing, executing and assessing strategies that include the creation of a comprehensive multimedia strategy for UBPS and partners. Additionally, Ava composes engaging content and graphics for web, print, newsletters and a variety of social platforms and serves as the department marketing liaison among UPP partners and Berkeley stakeholders.
Ava is a fourth-year student at UC Berkeley pursuing dual degrees in Data Science and Media Studies. She leads several marketing and entertainment-based on-campus organizations, such as CalTV and BareStage Productions, and has done marketing and operations work with companies like Canva and Peacock. In her spare time, she enjoys film photography, baking for her friends and family, and nature.
Lily Feldman
Activations Assistant | lilyfeldman@berkeley.edu
Lily serves as the activations assistant for University Business Partnerships & Services. She is responsible for managing partner activation sheets and asset folders. In addition, she tracks partner campus activations, develops new partner timelines and works with our campus stakeholders and partners to collect metrics and verify proof of performance.
Lily is going into her second year at UC Berkeley, pursuing a degree in Media Studies and Political Science with respective concentrations in Media Law and Policy and Comparative Politics. She is interested in the intersection of media and marketing as she is the media director of her advertising club at Cal. You can usually find her either hanging out with friends at Hillel, drinking coffee at Strada, or going for a run around Berkeley.