Ken Montera has been elected chair and Callie Rennison vice chair of the University of Colorado Board of Regents for the upcoming year. The election took place as part of the board’s regular leadership selection process, which also included new committee assignments.
Regent law states that the positions of chair and vice chair cannot be held by members of the same political party. If more than one candidate is nominated for either role, board rules require a secret ballot vote.
Montera, a Republican representing Colorado’s 5th Congressional District, previously served as vice chair. He was first appointed to the Board of Regents by Governor Jared Polis in December 2021 and later won election in 2022 to complete an unexpired term, followed by a full term in 2024. Montera has more than three decades of experience as a senior executive at four 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 Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District, joined the board in 2020. She is professor emerita and former associate dean at CU Denver School of Public Affairs. Her previous roles include director of CU Denver’s Office of Equity and Title IX Coordinator for both CU Denver and CU Anschutz.
“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 nine-member Board oversees university policy decisions with members serving staggered six-year terms—one from each congressional district plus one at-large member. The board holds constitutional authority over university supervision as well as control over its funds unless otherwise directed by law.
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
Additionally, regents will serve liaison roles on several other committees:
– Investment Advisory Committee: Nolbert Chavez
– CU Foundation: Ilana Dubin Spiegel
– Auraria Board of Directors: Callie Rennison
– Colorado Trustee Network: Mark VanDriel
