Board MemberPOURIA ABBASSI
Executive Director and CEO of Associated Students UCLA (ASUCLA)
Pouria Abbassi has been the CEO of large companies in three distinct industries – hospitality, health care, and now, higher education. In each capacity, he has led organizations through business and cultural transformations to unprecedented results while giving back to the communities they serve.
In 2018, Pouria rejoined his alma mater as the CEO and Executive Director of the Associated Students UCLA (ASUCLA), the largest organization of its kind in the world. Pouria leverages his executive experience and his passion for “all things Bruin” to work with the ASUCLA Board of Directors, its 1,800+ family of employees, and campus partners to lead ASUCLA through a large and multifaceted set of business lines, on campus services and extending the UCLA brand globally through operations in over 100 countries. Pouria has previously led four mental and behavioral health companies in the midst of the health care reforms (ACA) through 17 facilities in California as the President of the Phoenix Houses of California, Inc. (PHC). Prior to PHC, he was the CEO of the Los Angeles Convention Center, leading the Center through the unprecedented development of the Sports and Entertainment District and successful revitalization of the South Park area of downtown Los Angeles leading to significant increases in trade and tourism for the region. In prior capacities Pouria has led teams in project engineering, debt financing, financial modeling, environmental analysis, large scale real estate developments, emerging renewable resources innovations, and digital health and wellness platforms and information technology implementations. He also has done research and published in the areas of cryogenics and high temperature superconductivity.
A registered mechanical engineer in the State of California and a graduate of UCLA School of Engineering and UCLA Anderson School of Management/Executive Management program, Pouria sits on various boards including the Los Angeles Business Council, Providence Hospital Foundation Board of Governors, Beyond Vision Music Foundation, Wescom, Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation, PAAIA, Norooz Celebration Foundation, and works with various other community organizations including PARS Equality Center, KCIS, and Farhang Foundation. Pouria is also an active member of the Pacific Council on International Policy and is engaged with various policy and think tank groups at the local and national levels. Pouria frequently gives presentations on leadership and visioning to student groups and mentors young professionals in their careers. Among more than 30 community, business and service awards, Pouria was awarded the 2022 Ellis Island Medal of Honor in recognition of his contributions towards the betterment of all the communities that he has served throughout his distinguished career.