Civil rights attorney Kathleen Salvaty has been hired as UCLA’s Title IX manager. Kevin Reed, vice chancellor for legal affairs, announced the hiring in a message to the campus today.
“As an experienced litigator and civil rights advocate, Kathleen brings a wealth of valuable experience in investigating and litigating anti-discrimination cases under state and federal statutes,” Reed wrote.
Salvaty comes to UCLA from the Venice, California, law firm of Thomas, Alexander and Forrester. Previously, she served as associate counsel of the Advancement Project, a Los Angeles-based public interest nonprofit, where she was involved in a variety of civil rights matters, including police reform, public school funding, early education and public works.
Her accomplishments include having served as the executive director of the Los Angeles Police Department Blue Ribbon Rampart Review Panel, charged with assessing progress of police reform. Salvaty also helped create a $4.1 billion state bond fund to build schools in Los Angeles and other urban areas, and she litigated public interest cases in state and federal court through the civil rights law firm of English, Munger and Rice.
“I look forward to bringing my experience as a civil rights attorney and public education advocate to this important position,” Salvaty said. “I am eager to work together with the entire UCLA community to ensure that our university remains a leader in developing and implementing procedures to prevent sex discrimination and harassment, and to safeguard equal access to education.”
Salvaty received a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Notre Dame. She graduated with honors from the University of Chicago Law School, and is admitted to the bar in California and New York.
Reed noted that, due to “the uniquely sensitive nature of the issues” handled by the Title IX office, the position is an especially critical one for the entire UCLA community.
“That is why I am thankful to the leadership of the 7,000 in Solidarity Campaign, the UCLA student-led sexual assault awareness and prevention organization, who provided two leaders who participated in the interview committee,” he said.
One of those students, Savannah Badalich, who founded 7,000 in Solidarity and is the University Students Association wellness commissioner, expressed gratitude for being included in the selection process, saying such student involvement was unique.
“We are incredibly excited to have Kathleen Salvaty, a caring, civil rights-oriented individual, as our new Title IX manager, and we look forward to working closely with her in the future to support survivors on our campus,” Badalich said.
Beginning July 1, Salvaty will report to Jerry Kang, UCLA’s newly appointed vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion. She will report to Reed until then.