For more than 20 years, Leticia Robles ’89 has built and led a successful business, distinguished by principled leadership, impactful service and a steadfast commitment to helping others rise. 

As chair of University of the Pacific’s Board of Regents, she will lead with those same strengths.

Robles became Board of Regents Chair July 1. She has served on the board, which oversees the university’s finances, mission and strategic goals, since 2020. She succeeds former board chair Mary-Elizabeth Eberhardt ’76, whose term ended June 30. 

As chair, Robles will work with the board to advance Pacific’s mission during one of the most consequential periods in its recent history, which includes the launch of the region's first school of medicine in Stockton and continued investment in student access and community impact across all three campuses.

She is proud of Pacific's responsiveness to community needs and its commitment to equipping students from all backgrounds to meet those needs. That emphasis on inclusivity, service and impact, she says, has profoundly shaped her own life and leadership.

“I am honored to serve as chair at such a pivotal moment for Pacific,” she said. “This university gave me confidence, purpose, and a deep belief in the power of compassion and human connection to transform lives. I am excited to work with the Regents, Cabinet, faculty and staff, and the entire Pacific family to continue uplifting our communities and equipping our students to do the same.” 

President Christopher Callahan praised Robles’ pioneering spirit and relentless pursuit of equity both at Pacific and throughout the Stockton community.

“Chair Robles is a visionary and humanistic leader. We are fortunate to have her in this role while Pacific is so heavily focused on its’ communities’ health and well-being,” the president said. “She is the quintessential Pacifican, and I can think of no-one better to lead us forward in this moment.” 

Journey to Pacific

Robles is the youngest daughter of immigrant parents from Mexico, who taught their nine children the value of education, hard work and service to others. 

From a young age she wanted to attend Pacific, a dream that became possible when she discovered the Community Involvement Program, an educational equity program serving first-generation college students from Stockton. 

“When I applied to CIP, I knew it was my only chance to afford college,” she said. “CIP gave me more than financial support—it gave me a second family and in them, I found strength and belonging. Coming from a different background I often felt like I had to work twice as hard just to keep up, but through CIP I found validation and confidence.” 

Robles earned a bachelor’s degree in international business in 1989. Her husband, Jorge Robles ’90, also is a Pacific alumnus, and their youngest daughter will enroll at McGeorge School of Law this fall.

An impactful career 

After graduating, Robles joined Junior Achievement, a nonprofit that teaches young people career readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills.

She spent 12 years with Junior Achievement before becoming a stay-at-home mom. While raising her daughters she worked occasionally as a Spanish-language interpreter for Stockton’s Valley Mountain Regional Center, where she witnessed firsthand the challenges many families faced in securing respite care for their loved ones. She discovered there were few agencies in the region providing the services these families desperately needed—and none, she felt, that consistently treated clients with the respect, honesty and kindness they deserved.

Determined to make a difference, Robles transformed her compassion into action. In 2005 she founded Pacific Homecare Services, a Stockton-based company that provides high-quality in-home care, connecting compassionate caregivers with seniors and individuals with developmental disabilities across Northern California.

What began as a home-based business with a staff of one has grown into one of Northern California's leading home care providers. Pacific Homecare Services today operates eight locations and employs thousands of caregivers and other professionals who serve families throughout the Central Valley and Bay Area. The company's success is fueled by Robles' lifelong core values—honesty, kindness and respect—and an unwavering commitment to treating every client like family.

“I feel like I was put on this earth to do this work,” Robles said. “I’ve always had a need to help people, and now, I have the best job ever—if I can even call it a job. I get to help people every single day.”

Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including the 2023 ATHENA Leadership Award from the Stockton Chamber of Commerce and recognition among Comstock’s magazine’s 2026 Women in Leadership.

Giving Back

As Robles’ business grew, so did her desire to support the program that changed her trajectory. Before becoming a regent she volunteered with CIP, and in 2018, she and Jorge endowed a scholarship for CIP Scholars studying business or engineering. 

“CIP serves students who couldn’t otherwise access a higher education. Leticia was once in that position, but the support she received at Pacific has allowed her to build an incredible life of service,” said Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations Scott Biedermann ’05, ’20. “Her generosity is now expanding what others believe is possible for their lives, and we are deeply grateful.”

Each year the Robles host Noche de Bienvenida, a welcome reception for incoming Latinx students and families, at their Stockton home. They also have provided numerous scholarships for local students to attend the Pacific Summer High School Institute.

“Leticia’s genuine commitment to our students and community is inspiring,” said Allison Dumas ’95, associate vice president for community engagement and enrollment strategy, who has overseen CIP for more than 40 years. “As the first CIP Scholar to chair the board, she brings a unique perspective on the student experience and leads with a powerful combination of tenacity, courage and compassion.”

Robles also recognizes the significance of her position. She is not only the first CIP Scholar, but the first Hispanic person in Pacific’s 175-year history to chair the board. 

“I never pictured myself as a role model or set out to be one, but I’ve learned that young people can relate to me and possibly see a future for themselves,” she said. “As a student, I looked for leaders who looked like me or had similar backgrounds, and there weren’t many. Now, I have a responsibility to show students that regardless of where you started, it is possible to have a seat at the table and make change.”

In addition to leading at Pacific, Robles is passionate about giving back to the community she calls home. She serves on the board of the Children's Home of Stockton, is part of the management team at Mezzo Restaurant and champions the work of United Way and other local nonprofits. Reflecting their family's enduring commitment to faith, education and service, she and Jorge are devoted supporters of their parish and of St. Mary's High School, his and their daughters' alma mater.

“This community has given my family and me so much. We believe it's our responsibility to give back and help others,” she said. “Pacific not only taught me how to lead and serve, it also helped me pass those values on to my daughters. Together, as a family, we take great pride in serving the Stockton community.”