BERKELEY - In another step to position its athletic department to excel in this new era of intercollegiate athletics, Cal announced Thursday that Beth Tafolla-Voetsch has been appointed as Executive Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Relations for the 2025-26 year.

Tafolla-Voetsch, who has served as the Chief Development Officer for Cal Athletics for the past three years and has worked in the department's fundraising office since 2015, will oversee all externally facing units, including athletics development, athletic communications, creative services, digital media, sponsorship, marketing, ticket operations, sales, service and strategy.

"Beth is an innovative and forward-thinking leader who will bring deep experience and a wide set of skills to this new role," Cal co-athletic directors Jay Larson and Jenny Simon-O'Neill said. "We are fortunate to have her lead some of our most important efforts as we adapt and evolve in order to meet the challenges and opportunities in this dynamic new environment of intercollegiate athletics."

Adam Brooks, who has worked in Cal's development office for over five years and most recently served as Associate Athletics Director of Development, has been appointed as the department's Chief Development Officer for 2025-26.

In her new role, Tafolla-Voetsch will work closely with Larson, Simon-O'Neill and Cal football general manager Ron Rivera to elevate the football program and strengthen the athletic department's visibility, brand, and financial foundations.

"I'm excited to partner with Beth as we work to launch a new era of excellence for Cal football," Rivera said. "Beth knows how to build and sustain a successful culture, effective teams, and impactful initiatives. She's the right person for the job, and I'm grateful that she's taking on this critical role for our football program and our athletic department."

Specifically, Tafolla-Voetsch and her team will emphasize three focal points – revenue generation, increased attendance and increased television viewership. Under Rivera, who became Cal football's general manager in March, the program has already made significant strides in these areas. Tafolla-Voetsch will focus on fast-tracking such successes even more.

"I couldn't be more excited to take on this new role as we look to increase the visibility and elevate the brand of Cal Athletics and Cal Football," Tafolla-Voetsch said. "This opportunity, and these initiatives, will allow us to provide our football program with the resources it needs to thrive in this new era of intercollegiate athletics while we continue to support our basketball programs and the rest of our teams at Cal. I'm looking forward to partnering with Ron, Jay and Jenny to carve out a new future for our department."

On Wednesday, Cal announced two significant developments that will enhance the football program's visibility. "The Black Bear" – a new designated seating section in the south end zone of California Memorial Stadium – is a creation that resulted in a partnership with "The Black Hole," the iconic fan group of the Raiders. The team is also being featured on a season-long weekly television show on NBC Sports Bay Area – "Inside Cal Football" - which airs every Thursday at 5:30 p.m.  

Rivera has also started a weekly appearance on the "Murph & Markus Show" on KNBR 680 AM and 104.5 FM every Wednesday morning at 8:50 a.m. PT.

Among fan experience enhancements at California Memorial Stadium this season is the introduction of "Oski's Village," a new pregame fan fest area located on Memorial Glade that includes live entertainment, top-tier food and drink options, interactive games and an option for premium hospitality packages." Click here to learn more. 

The Cal football team opened the 2025 season last Saturday with a 34-15 victory at Oregon State. The Golden Bears' home opener is this Saturday against Texas Southern at 3 p.m. PT. The game will air on ACC Network Extra, which can be found here.