Campus News
Omar Galvez joins UC Santa Cruz as executive director for Dining Services
UC Santa Cruz welcomes Omar Galvez, a hospitality leader dedicated to connection, community, and student well-being.
The Division of Student Affairs and Success is pleased to announce Omar Galvez as the new executive director for Dining Services, effective Nov. 10, 2025. In this role, Galvez will provide strategic and operational leadership for all campus dining locations, including dining halls, retail operations, catering, and food sustainability initiatives, and will report to Laura Arroyo, associate vice chancellor of Colleges, Housing and Educational Services (CHES). The division looks forward to the leadership, creativity, and commitment to student success that Galvez will bring to this important work.
A career built on service, growth and connection
Galvez began his hospitality career as a bus boy at the Jonathan Beach Club, a private club in Santa Monica, CA and worked his way up through the years, before becoming the catering manager. Those early experiences shaped his belief in the power of food and hospitality to bring people together.
He later held roles with Sodexo, Aimbridge Hospitality and Compass Group, in the hotel and event industry, and in large-scale catering for major Los Angeles events such as the Oscars and the Grammys. He joined Compass Group in higher education dining at Portland State University, where he deepened his understanding of how dining can support student life. Galvez remained with Compass when he moved to California State University Northridge, helping grow the company’s regional higher education portfolio.
Leading with connection
Galvez is known for a people-first leadership style grounded in connection, mentorship and respect. He makes a point to learn about his teams, their goals, interests and the paths they hope to pursue, and is committed to supporting both staff and student employees in building skills that will serve them long after they leave UC Santa Cruz.
“It is not just knowing someone’s name,” he said. “It is understanding what they care about, what they hope to accomplish, and how I can support their development.”
Galvez values building strong relationships across his teams and creating an environment where staff and student employees feel supported in their growth. For many students working in dining, this is their first job, and he sees helping them gain confidence and skills as an important part of the department’s work.
Dining as a partner in student success
Galvez sees dining as an essential contributor to student well-being, providing both daily access to nutritious meals and opportunities for learning, nourishment and connection. He hopes to expand dining’s role as an educational resource by supporting nutrition awareness, helping students build confidence in cooking and healthy eating, and offering spaces where students feel welcome and supported. He also emphasizes the importance of strong partnerships with student life and the sustainability team, to achieve joint wellness efforts, food security initiatives while maintaining clear sustainability goals.
He is particularly interested in activating the teaching kitchen at Rachel Carson College to host workshops, demonstrations and programs that help students explore food, culture and nutrition in hands-on and engaging ways.
“Omar has a track record of putting students and staff first, all while maintaining a firm commitment to hospitality, student experience, and education,” said Laura Arroyo, associate vice chancellor of Colleges, Housing and Educational Services. “His leadership and commitment to student success will help strengthen dining’s role in creating spaces where people feel welcome and can thrive. We are thrilled to welcome him to our leadership team.”
Operational excellence and the path ahead
As he begins his role, Galvez plans to focus on organizational and operational excellence, streamlined systems and thoughtful use of technology to strengthen dining’s reliability and responsiveness. He sees opportunities to build on the department’s existing foundation through clearer processes, improved training and stronger alignment across locations.
Galvez also brings a deep appreciation for catering, a part of the field he finds especially creative and energizing, and looks forward to exploring how campus catering can continue supporting university events and community gatherings.
“We can build something that truly reflects this community,” he said. “Something intentional, supportive and distinctly UC Santa Cruz.”
More about Galvez
Away from work, Galvez enjoys spending time with his family, including his wife, two adult children and two younger children ages 12 and 9. He also enjoys photography and woodworking, often designing and building pieces for their home. The family is looking forward to getting to know the region and becoming part of the campus community.