Board of Directors

William Markenson

William Markenson is Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Board, Director and member of the Executive Committee of California Education Assistance Inc.  He attended the University of California at Berkeley and UCLA as an undergraduate, receiving his B.A. in philosophy from UCLA in 1963.  He attended Boalt Hall (now known as Berkeley Law), receiving his J.D. in 1966.  

Mr. Markenson practiced law with the Nossaman, LLC, law firm from 1967 to 1996 when he joined Access to Loan for Learning Student Loan Corporation (known then as the California Student Loan Finance Corporation) as its Executive Vice President and General Counsel.  He served ALL Student Loan as a member of its Board of Directors, as its President and CEO from time to time  and in various other capacities.

Paul Fromer

Paul Fromer is a member of the Board of Directors of California Education Assistance Inc.  He graduated from UCLA in 1977 with a B..A in Zoology.  He received an M.S. in Biology from San Diego State University in 1977.  He attended the University of Montana from 1974 to1979 where he was advanced to candidacy toward a Ph.D. in Zoology. 

Mr. Fromer was a Principal, Vice President and Senior Biologist at RECON Environmental, Inc. from 1980 until his retirement in 2014.  While at RECON, his responsibilities included budgeting, project oversight, budget management, quality control, personnel reviews and the over fiscal success of teams on which he served.

In 2014-15, he served as Program Administrator of the San Diego Management and Monitoring Program of the San Diego Association of Governments.

Laura Johnson

Laura Johnson is a member of the Board of Directors of California Education Assistance Inc.  She is a graduate of California State University, East Bay, Hayward, California, holding B.S in elementary education, an M.S. in Education Administration and an M.S. in Counseling and Mental Health.

Ms. Johnson has held various positions in the Oakland, Berkeley, Hayward and West Contra Costa Unified School Districts, including teacher, Curriculum Specialist, Director of Child Welfare and Attendance, Counselor, Assistant Principal, Principal, Director and Organizer of Middle College High School and Director of Schools.

Janet Murillo

Janet Murillo is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of California Education Assistance Inc.  She earned a B.A. in Spanish from the Santa Clara University in 1975.  She attended UCLA School of Law, receiving her J.D. in 1978.

Ms. Murillo practiced law at the Nossaman, LLC, law firm from 1978 until 2000 and she was of Counsel from 2000 to 2007.  While at the Nossaman firm she focused primarily on representation of Access to Loans for Learning Student Loan Corporation, the former name of California Education Assistance Inc.  

Donald Sternberg

Donald Sternberg is a member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of California Education Assistance Inc.  He attended California State University, Northridge, where he graduated in 1972.  He subsequently was awarded a J.D. by Southwestern University School of Law in 1976.

Mr. Sternberg served as the Co-Managing Partner of Greenberg and Sternberg (1984-1986), as Co-Managing Partner of Alfonso, Klonsky, Sternberg and Margulies (1986-1989) and Judge Pro-Tem of the Los Angeles Municipal Court (1987-1988).  From  1996 to 2001 he was the Chief Investment Officer of Renaissance Investment Group.  He currently practices law at the Law Office of Donald E. Sternberg.  Mr. Sternberg is a certified mediator (2014-present).