Alumni Engagement Director Anya Grossmann Works to Strengthen Bonds with UC Law SF Graduates 

Director of Alumni Engagement Anya Grossmann aims to create more ways for graduates to share their expertise — from guest lectures and mentorship to admitted student outreach.

• Anya Grossmann brings experience in legal practice and higher education to her role as UC Law SF’s new director of alumni engagement. 
• She plans to strengthen and build on programs that allow alumni to share expertise, support students, and stay connected to their alma mater. 
• She views alumni engagement as a vital, ongoing relationship that benefits both students and alumni at every stage of their careers. 

As UC Law SF’s new director of alumni engagement, Anya Grossmann is focused on deepening connections between the College and its graduates. Below she discusses her professional journey and her vision of expanding opportunities for meaningful alumni involvement. 

Q: Tell us about yourself. 

A: I grew up across the Bay in Berkeley. I loved California, but after doing my undergraduate degree at UCLA, I wanted to try the East Coast, so I went to Penn Law for my JD and practiced in New York, where I focused on civil investigations and securities litigation. 

After eight East Coast winters, it was time to come home. Remembering how much I loved law school, I pivoted to higher education and spent more than ten years at Berkeley Law, most recently as senior director of admissions and recruitment for the LL.M. and J.S.D. programs. I’m a big nerd who loves learning, so working at a law school lets me keep learning about different subject areas without the pressure of exams. Law schools also draw curious, passionate, hardworking people, and I love being surrounded by that energy. 

Q: Why are you excited to take on this role? 

A: Growing up in the Bay Area, UC Law SF was the school that always came up whenever a legal issue was in the news. It loomed large as a Bay Area institution and still does. I’m excited by the mutually beneficial relationship between alumni and their alma mater: alumni help the school stay strong and relevant, and the school supports alumni socially and professionally at every stage of their careers. I look forward to helping strengthen those connections.  

I’m focused on creating meaningful ways for alumni to stay connected. That includes fun social events like Spring Week, supporting and expanding chapters and affinity groups, and building more opportunities for alumni to share their expertise — through mentorship, guest speaking, adjunct teaching, recruiting prospective students, and welcoming admitted students. Alumni also advance the College’s mission of training effective and ethical lawyers and leaders through volunteer work and philanthropy. I look forward to hearing directly from alumni  what types of engagement mean the most to them. 

Q: What are your impressions so far of UC Law SF’s alumni community? 

A: The alumni community is incredibly collegial, passionate, and welcoming. Spring Week will be my first big opportunity to meet more alumni, and I’m excited about everything it offers — an evening event at City Hall, catered gatherings for reunion classes and the Half Century Club, a Giants game, and tours of the new campus buildings for those who haven’t visited recently. 

Q: Why does alumni engagement matter for UC Law SF? 

A: The relationship between alumni and their alma mater is lifelong and evolves over time. UC Law SF is strengthened not only by alumni’s contributions to society but also by the many ways they connect with students — through mentorship, career guidance, and community building. Alumni also support the College through volunteer boards and connect with each other and the school through chapters and affinity groups.  

Q: When you’re not working, how do you like to unwind? 

A: I love the outdoors, in particular hiking and camping. We’re spoiled here in one of the most beautiful corners of the world! I also started knitting and crocheting about seven years ago and find a lot of joy in the creative and meditative aspects of the craft. My favorite things to make are sweaters and cardigans, often using buttons my great-grandmother and grandmother collectedover the years. If I’m wearing something knit, there’s a good chance I made it myself. 

Q: What’s a fun fact that people might not expect? 

A: I don’t check off countries as a goal by itself, but I reached my 50th last year. Travel for me has always been about the perspective shift and connecting with other cultures. I grew up visiting family abroad, so the travel bug bit me early.  

My most memorable trip was my “bar trip” after the bar exam. Over two and a half months, I visited Egypt, Tanzania, Israel, Nepal, and India. In Nepal, I did an 18-day trek around theAnnapurna mountains, crossing the Thorong La pass at 17,769 feet. Along the way I saw the pyramids in Giza, snorkeled in Dahab, saw the Big Five on safari in the Serengeti, went on a spice tour and saw Freddie Mercury’s childhood home in Zanzibar, floated in the Dead Sea, visited the Taj Mahal, and had incredible food throughout.