As the vice president for university development, Barbara Zappas oversees the university's fundraising efforts as well as the Foundation of CSU Monterey Bay.

She has previously served as the assistant vice president for university advancement.

Prioir to joining the university in early 2012, she served as assistant dean for external relations at the law school of Lewis & Clark College. Earlier, she had been a senior vice president at Oregon’s Legacy Health System.

Barbara holds a master of public health degree from Yale University and completed her undergraduate bachelor of arts at the University of California, Berkely.