CalSTRS and Illinois Treasury Officials Win Prestigious Fellowships

June Kim, global equity head of the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), and Rodrigo Garcia, deputy state treasurer and chief investment officer at the Illinois State Treasury, were picked for the Aspen Institute’s Finance Leaders Fellowships.

This two-year program allows them and 20 other professionals to sharpen their financial leadership skills.

“The Aspen Institute is world renowned for developing leaders and we are honored to have June—one of CalSTRS top investment professionals, already recognized as an industry next generation leader—selected for the Fellowship program where she’ll have the opportunity to explore her vision for the global finance industry,” said Chris Ailman, the pension plan’s CIO.

Kim runs the $233.9 billion fund’s largest portfolio. CalSTRS’s global equities portfolio held $112.3 billion as of April 30.

“I’m not surprised that June has been selected for the 2019 Finance Leaders Fellowship class,” said Deputy Chief Investment Officer Scott Chan, who added that Kim has made a “tremendous financial impact” to the fund.

Garcia oversees the Illinois agency’s $32 billion institutional investment portfolio.

Previous recipients of this honor are Bryan Lewis, CIO of the Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System and Kim Sargent, CIO of the David & Lucile Packard Foundation, who were selected in 2016.

The program focuses on developing leaders, building a community with other fellows, and undertaking a leadership venture to address societal issues and challenges in the financial sector. The assignment is meant to help participants create change in these areas.

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