Gov. Jerry Brown has appointed Bernice Bass de Martinez, chair of Sacramento State’s Department of Foreign Languages, to the state Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians.

“Professor Bass de Martinez has served as the department chair in Foreign Languages since 2009,” says Edward Inch, dean of Sacramento State’s College of Arts and Letters. “What I have enjoyed and learned from her is how she is able to size up a situation, work with people to discern options, and then work with students, faculty and our communities to find solutions. She has done good work for Sacramento State, and this appointment is a good move for the state of California.”

Bass de Martinez has taken on many leadership roles at Sacramento State, including provost, special assistant to the President, and chair of the University’s Special Education, Rehabilitation, School Psychology, and Deaf Studies departments.

Before coming to Sacramento State, she served as the senior associate vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the School of Graduate Studies at Indiana State University, associate provost and director of graduate studies at Mills College, dean of Seton Hall University’s College of Education and Human Services, and chair of Fresno State’s Department of Teacher Education.

Bass de Martinez also is the founding chair of William V.S. Tubman University’s foundation board and a member of Sacramento State’s foundation board. She also serves on the Elk Grove Multicultural Committee.

She earned a doctorate in philosophy curriculum and instruction, with emphases in teacher preparation, bilingual education, and reading and languages, from the University of Florida, and a master’s degree in elementary education, with emphases in bilingual education, and reading and language arts from the University of Northern Colorado.

Her appointment to the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians does not require Senate confirmation. Her compensation will be $100.

"I am honored to be appointed and look forward to helping make a difference working collaboratively with the other board members," Bass de Martinez says. “I pledge to serve with integrity and to focus on making a difference for those in the vocational nursing and psychiatric technician field by ensuring that quality training is equitably accessible and meets discipline standards.” – Dixie Reid