Sacramento, CA – The Board of the California State Teachers’ Retirement System elected officers for the 2005 term during its regularly scheduled meeting today, April 7, 2005, at its headquarters in Sacramento.

The Teachers’ Retirement Board members nominate and elect their own Chair and Vice-Chair annually; the officer positions are for one year’s duration, although the members’ terms are for a total of four years. The 2005 officers are:

• Carolyn Widener, an English professor at West Los Angeles College, as Chair. In December 2003, Widener was among the first three members ever elected to the board by a vote of current California educators. Widener was a board member prior to the 2003 vote. She represents community college faculty and staff, and currently serves as the chair of the Benefits and Services Committee.



• Dana Dillon, a middle school language arts and social science teacher with the Weed Union Elementary School District, as Vice-Chair. Dillon also was one of the first members in CalSTRS history to be chosen by a vote of the pension fund’s membership. She currently serves as the chair of the Audits and Risk Management Committee.

Widener’s and Dillon’s terms in office began January 1, 2004; their roles as Chair and Vice-Chair are effective immediately.

“California public pension systems are currently facing many challenges,” said Widener. “However, I’m confident our board will continue to act decisively and constructively as we work together to achieve the best possible outcome for California’s educators.”

CalSTRS, with a $127 billion portfolio, is the nation’s third largest public pension fund. It administers retirement, disability and survivor benefits for California’s public school educators in grades kindergarten through community college, serving more than 755,000 members and benefit recipients.