SACRAMENTO, CA —  Greg Backley, President and CEO of the Automobile Club of Southern California, and Kirk Tramble, Founder and Principal of Kizata LLC, have been appointed to the Foundation for California Community Colleges Board of Directors following unanimous approval today by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors. Backley and Tramble will each serve four-year terms from July 2026 through June 2030. 

“Greg and Kirk each bring deep expertise and a shared commitment to innovation, workforce development, and student success. We are excited to welcome them to our Board and look forward to the insight and leadership they will bring as we continue to strengthen the ability of the California Community Colleges to serve students and communities throughout the state,” said FoundationCCC President and CEO Keetha Mills. 

Backley brings more than three decades of executive leadership experience in business, philanthropy, and public policy. A first-generation college student, he earned his Associate of Arts degree from Pasadena City College and credits the California Community Colleges with providing the foundation for his professional success.

“California Community Colleges changed the trajectory of my life, opening doors I never imagined possible. It is an honor to join the FoundationCCC Board of Directors and give back to the system that gave me my start. I look forward to working alongside my fellow board members to help more students achieve their goals,” said Backley.

Backley joined the Automobile Club in 1991 and rose through a series of executive leadership positions before becoming President and CEO of the nation’s largest AAA-affiliated motor club and insurance organization. He has served on numerous corporate, nonprofit, and higher education boards, including the California Business Roundtable, Southern California Leadership Council, AAA Life Insurance Company, Orange County United Way, and the California State University, Fullerton School of Risk Management and Insurance advisory board. Backley earned his Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts in Law & Society from the University of California, Santa Barbara. 

Tramble is a technology and artificial intelligence (AI) governance leader with more than 20 years of experience spanning enterprise technology, cloud strategy, and the nonprofit sector. At the helm of Kizata LLC, he advises organizations on responsible AI adoption and governance and has held leadership roles at Chevron, Oracle NetSuite, Apple, and Nitro Software. He also served as Board President of the Cal Alumni Association, UC Berkeley’s alumni organization, where he provided fiduciary oversight for a $16 million organization and chaired its Executive Committee. 

“I am thrilled to join the FoundationCCC Board of Directors at a time of tremendous opportunity for higher education. California Community Colleges have long been engines of economic mobility, and I look forward to helping the FoundationCCC harness innovation, emerging technologies, and strategic partnerships to strengthen workforce pathways and prepare students to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven economy,” said Tramble.

A former faculty member at College of San Mateo, Tramble spent eight years teaching cloud computing and developing the college’s Cloud Computing Certificate of Achievement. His work focused on expanding pathways into STEM and technology careers, particularly for students historically underrepresented in the field. Tramble holds a Master of Business Administration from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California, Berkeley. 

FoundationCCC is the official nonprofit auxiliary to the California Community Colleges system, the nation’s largest system of higher education. Governed by its Board of Directors, FoundationCCC partners with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, philanthropic organizations, government agencies, and private-sector partners to advance economic and social mobility for more than 2 million students statewide. 

The Foundation for California Community Colleges works to benefit students, colleges, and communities by accelerating paths to economic and social mobility, strengthening communities, and reducing barriers to opportunities for all Californians. FoundationCCC is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1998. It serves as the official statewide nonprofit organization supporting the California Community Colleges, the largest system of higher education in the nation. For more information, visit www.foundationccc.org.