Campus News
With expertise spanning media, health, AI, and energy, new leaders join UC Santa Cruz Foundation Board of Trustees
The UC Santa Cruz Foundation Board of Trustees works in partnership with university leadership to advance philanthropic support for the campus mission while fostering greater understanding of UC Santa Cruz’s research, education, and public impact.
The UC Santa Cruz Foundation has elected three new trustees whose experience spans the entertainment industry, health technology and artificial intelligence, and energy consulting.
The UC Santa Cruz Foundation Board of Trustees works in partnership with university leadership to advance philanthropic support for the campus mission while fostering greater understanding of UC Santa Cruz’s research, education, and public impact.
“We are delighted to welcome these accomplished leaders to the foundation board,” said Chancellor Cynthia Larive. “Their experience and perspectives will strengthen our efforts to support students, advance research, and expand educational opportunities across the UC Santa Cruz community.”
The new members, who began their service in February, are:
- Jordan Corngold (Cowell ‘84, Classics) is a retired music editor for feature films and television. Over the course of his career he worked on numerous acclaimed productions, including The Horse Whisperer, The Green Mile, American Beauty, The Matrix, and Bridge of Spies. Jordan received three Golden Reel Awards for music editing on The Matrix, American Beauty, and Get on Up, was nominated for an Emmy Award for Battlestar Galactica and is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He earned his B.A. from UC Santa Cruz and an M.F.A. from the Yale School of Drama. Jordan serves on the board of Union Station Homeless Services in Pasadena, CA.
- Prashant S. Samant is CEO and co-founder of Akido, a healthcare technology company that builds clinical AI and operates a multi-state medical network serving hundreds of thousands of patients. He co-founded Akido in 2015 through USC’s Digital Health Lab. In 2023, he and his co-founders received the EY Entrepreneur of the Year–Greater Los Angeles Award. Samant is also a co-founder and board member of Grid110, a nonprofit accelerator supporting early-stage entrepreneurs. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Washington University in St. Louis.
- Benjamin “Ben” Lindahl Hough (Cowell ‘88, Earth Science) brings more than three decades of executive leadership at the intersection of energy, environment, and national security. He currently serves as a Practice Lead at Lindahl Reed and has held senior leadership roles at Redhorse Corporation, Noblis, and Tetra Tech, where he built and scaled high-impact programs, guided complex public- and private-sector partnerships, and delivered transformative results in energy innovation and sustainability. Recognized as UC Santa Cruz Athlete of the Year and Collegiate All-American in 1988, Hough went on to represent the United States on the USA Rugby national team, earning his first international cap in 1991. Hough is committed to the UC Santa Cruz community and to advancing opportunities for mentorship and professional development for UC Santa Cruz student athletes. Through his work with the UC Santa Cruz rugby alumni community, and in alignment with his “Slug for Life” vision, he has led and supported programs to bring alumni together to mentor current students, resulting in internships and professional advancement for UC Santa Cruz students. Hough’s dedication to expanding alumni engagement to directly impact student success aligns closely with the Foundation’s mission to expand opportunity and advance the long-term impact of UC Santa Cruz.
Foundation Board Chair Loren Kinczel said the new trustees bring valuable insights from diverse professional fields.
“Our new trustees exemplify the creativity, expertise, and spirit of service that define UC Santa Cruz,” Kinczel said. “Their perspectives will strengthen the board’s work as we continue to increase resources for the campus and its faculty, staff and students.”