Position Title
Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer
Danésha Nichols was named Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer for UC Davis in April 2026. Nichols, who has 22 years of experience at UC Davis, most recently served as director of the Harassment & Discrimination Assistance and Prevention Program. While there she handled individual cases and was involved with the creation of the UC Systemwide Anti-Discrimination Policy.
As Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Nichols oversees responses to reports of perceived acts of illegal discrimination, bias and harassment involving faculty, students and staff. She is the university’s implementing official for purposes of UC Davis’ whistleblower program and ensure the university meets its legal obligations under Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act.
Nichols earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University, San Bernardino, and a Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific’s McGeorge School of Law.