News release | Melissa Jones-Ferguson

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (June 2, 2026)―The Teachers' Retirement Board reelected Denise Bradford chair and elected Sharon Hendricks vice chair at its May meeting.

The 12-member board nominates and elects its chair and vice chair annually. The chair and vice chair provide board leadership, direction and policy development for CalSTRS the largest educator-only pension fund in the world.

Bradford, now in her third term, began as board chair in May 2024 and currently serves on the Audits and Risk Management, Board Governance and Investment committees. She also served as vice chair from 2023–24. Hendricks served as board chair from 2019–20 and vice chair from 2014–19 and 2021–23. She currently serves on the Appeals, Investment, Audits and Risk Management and Compensation committees.

Committee assignments will be reviewed and new committee assignments will be shared at the July board meeting.

Bradford is an elementary school teacher with the Saddleback Valley Unified School District in southern California and was first elected to serve on the board in 2019. Bradford also serves on the California Teachers Association’s Board of Directors and NCPERS executive board. She has served as president of the Saddleback Valley Educators Association and chair of the CTA Retirement Committee.

“Serving as board chair has been a great honor, and I’m so energized and motivated by the confidence and support of my fellow board members,” Bradford said. “We’ll continue to put our members first as we work collaboratively with CalSTRS staff and stakeholders to navigate a changing world on behalf of California’s public educators and their pensions.”

Hendricks is a communication studies faculty member at Los Angeles City College and was elected to the Teachers’ Retirement Board in 2011. She also serves on the board of the Principles for Responsible Investment and chairs the American Federation of Teachers Trustee Council.

“I am excited to be elected vice chair and continue the vital work of protecting the financial future of my friends and peers in California education," Hendricks said. "Together with my fellow board members, CalSTRS staff and engaged stakeholders, I believe we can meet the challenges before us and ensure the long-term stability of the fund.”

Media contact 

Melissa Jones-Ferguson 
Phone: 916-414-1440 
M–F, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. PDT 
Newsroom@CalSTRS.com 

About CalSTRS

CalSTRS provides a secure retirement to more than 1 million members and beneficiaries whose CalSTRS-covered service is not eligible for Social Security participation. On average, members who retired in the 2024–25 fiscal year had 24.9 years of service and a monthly benefit of $5,740.  Established in 1913, CalSTRS is the largest educator-only pension fund in the world with $408.3 billion in assets under management as of April 30, 2026.