California State University, Fresno

​​An educator, farmer and advocate, Carol Chandler is a former California State University trustee and University of California regent whose passions include agriculture, education, business, volunteerism and philanthropy.

Born in the San Francisco Bay Area, Ms. Chandler did not grow up on a farm but she became a tireless advocate for agriculture as part of her family business. She regularly advocates for agricultural labor, endangered species, education and water-supply reform, while also emphasizing the need for a domestic food supply and a healthy agricultural economy.

Ms. Chandler received her bachelor's degree from the University of California, Davis and her master's degree from California State University, Fresno. She taught at San Joaquin Valley schools before devoting her energy and passion to Chandler Farms.

Between 2004 and 2012, Ms. Chandler served on the California State University Board of Trustees as an appointee of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. She has served on the California Fresh Fruit Association (formerly the California Grape and Fruit Tree League) Board of Directors; the California Women for Agriculture Board of Directors as state president as well as the Federal Task Force director; and the American Agri-Women Board of Directors as the Ag Business & Economic chair. Previously, she served on the U. S. Department of Agriculture Advisory Committee on Emerging Markets. She was honored as one of the California State Legislature's “Women of the Year" in 1992 and 2002. 

Ms. Chandler recently completed her term on the board of the state Chamber of Commerce. While a board member of the Western Growers Association (WGA) in 2004-2005 she served as chairman of the Legislative Committee, the first woman to head a WGA committee. Ms. Chandler is also a member of the Institute for Family Business at Fresno State's Craig School of Business, the Junior League of Fresno, the La Feliz Guild of Valley Children's Hospital and the Common Threads Committee, which honors philanthropic women in Central Valley communities. In 2006, Common Threads bestowed upon Ms. Chandler the first “Tapestry Award" to recognize her commitment to education and improving the agricultural industry in California.

In recognition of her outstanding leadership in agriculture and business, and her inspired volunteerism and philanthropy, the Board of Trustees of the California State University and California State University, Fresno are proud to confer upon Carol Chandler the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.