Sandra Kim has been named vice chancellor for finance and administration and chief financial officer for UC Riverside following a nationwide search. Since April 2025, Kim has served in the role on an interim basis.
Kim has more than two decades of experience managing financial strategy and operations in higher education.
“We are so pleased to bring into the permanent CFO role a candidate with Sandra’s extensive background in higher education financial administration,” said S. Jack Hu, UCR chancellor. “Sandra has the right background and right skill set to help steer UCR through challenges, and toward leadership’s ambitions for a financial strategy that is both sustainable and ambitious.”
Kim replaced Gerry Bomotti, who retired from UCR in April 2025 following eight years as vice chancellor of planning, budget, and administration.
“Having served in the interim role, I saw firsthand how critical it is to translate resources into real outcomes for the community we serve,” Kim said. “Given my own belief in education as a pathway for opportunity, I'm looking forward to taking on the role permanently and continuing to support the work across UC Riverside - from student success to research and impact in the Inland Empire.”
Previous to UCR, Kim served as the interim vice president of finance and CFO at Barnard College—Columbia University and vice president of finance and administration and CFO at Saint Mary's College of California. From 2017 to 2023, she was managing director and group head for higher education and non-profits at San Francisco-based UBS Public Finance. From 2008 to 2017, she worked in the UC Office of the President in finance roles, including as associate vice president of finance for Capital Asset Strategies and Finance.
She has a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago, and earned her bachelors in Asian American Studies at UC Berkeley.
The search advisory committee included: Elizabeth Watkins, provost & executive vice chancellor (chair); Anna Kafie, chief financial & administrative officer, School of Business; Christopher Lynch, dean, Bourns College of Engineering; Paige Mejia, financial operations manager; Jacqueline Norman, associate vice chancellor an campus architect; Jennifer Nuckles, UCR Board of Trustees; David Oglesby, professor and planning & budget chair of the Academic Senate; Mary Lou Ortiz, chief financial officer & vice chancellor, Finance and Administration, UCI; Heidi Scribner, associate vice chancellor, Auxiliary Services; Veronica Ruiz, chief financial & administrative officer, ASSET (compliance liaison); and Cindy Williams, chief financial & administrative officer, CHASS.
