Priya has served as the Chief of Staff to President Elam since 2021. In addition to overseeing the Office of the President, she collaborates with senior staff to advance the President’s and the College’s priorities. Priya co-chaired the integrated strategic planning effort that resulted in the Occidental Promise.
Prior to joining Occidental College, Priya worked for over 16 years in legal education as an Associate Dean at LMU Loyola Law School, Los Angeles and as Assistant Dean and Dean of Students at USC Gould School of Law. She has a deep background in enrollment management, academic and co-curricular program development, student services, career development, and online and hybrid program development. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and the University of Maryland at College Park, prior to working in higher education, Priya worked in private practice; as a Voting Rights Staff Attorney and Statewide Redistricting Coordinator for Asian Pacific American Legal Center (now Asian Americans Advancing Justice); and as a legislative aide and Deputy City Attorney for the City of Los Angeles.