introducing Joyce Gattas

about Joyce Gattas

Joyce M. Gattas most recently served as Special Assistant to Dr. Adela de la Torre, President of San Diego State University, working on campus and community engagement initiatives. Previously, she was Dean of SDSU’s College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts for more than 25 years, where she managed ten schools and departments, including Hospitality and Tourism Management, Journalism and Media Studies, Theatre, Television and Film, and the ROTC programs. The College served over 5,000 students and 450 faculty and staff, and housed several centers and research institutes. She also partnered with Patti Roscoe to establish SDSU’s Hospitality degree program.

Dr. Gattas began her academic career teaching at CSU Long Beach and CSU East Bay before joining SDSU as Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs, overseeing faculty personnel matters, contract negotiations, and collective bargaining.

An active community leader, she has served as Chair of the Balboa Park Conservancy, the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, the San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the San Diego Film Commission. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the SDSU Campanile Foundation and as Vice Chair of the Mainly Mozart Board of Directors.

Her many honors include the San Diego Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Award, Woman of Achievement Award, San Diego Magazine’s Who’s Who, Girl Scouts Cool Women, Salvation Army Woman of Dedication, the SDSU Mortar Board Distinguished Alumna Award, and the SDSU Monty’s Distinguished University Service Award.

She holds a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, and M.A. and B.S. degrees from the University of New Mexico.