Dr. Tod Burnett was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as Vice Chancellor on January 1, 2006.  In this capacity, he coordinates implementation of the California Community Colleges System Strategic Plan and is responsible for the development, formulation, coordination and communication of complex and highly sensitive policy initiatives for the System Office.  He is also an Associate Faculty at the University of Phoenix.  Prior to joining the Community Colleges System Office, Tod served as Deputy Appointments Secretary for Governor Schwarzenegger where he advised the Governor on making political appointments to hundreds of full and part-time positions in State government.

Previously, Tod was Director of State and Local Government Relations for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under Administrator Christie Todd Whitman and Commissioner on the City of Los Angeles Board of Public Works appointed by Mayor Richard Riordan.  His private sector experience includes Chief Financial & Operating Officer of the law firm of Gascou, Gemmill & Thornton; Vice President of Eva Gabor International, Ltd.; Assistant Vice President for Union Bank's Merchant Banking Department; and Financial Analyst for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company's Capital Markets Group.

Tod is a strong proponent of youth leadership education.  He served as President of the Board of Directors of California Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership, Inc. (HOBY), a non-profit organization that seeks out, recognizes and develops leadership potential of high school students.  In 1999, he was selected among over 5,000 volunteers worldwide as HOBY’s National Volunteer of the Year.

Tod holds an Education Doctorate Degree in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology, Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California and Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/Administrative Studies from the University of California, Riverside.

Tod was born and has lived in the Los Angeles metropolitan area most of his life, except for two years both in Chicago and Washington, D.C.  He has resided in the Sacramento area since 2003.