Meet the Regents: Lee Stein

Meet the Regents is an opportunity for the public to learn more about members of the Arizona Board of Regents. The governor of Arizona appoints 10 regents to the board, including two student regents. The appointments are subject to confirmation by the Arizona Senate. Regents serve eight-year terms. Student regents, one of whom is a non-voting member in their first year, serve two-year terms.

Lee Stein's admiration for the Arizona Board of Regents began long before he became a regent. Growing up in Arizona, he saw the board as a pinnacle of civic engagement led by community leaders he looked up to most.

“For me, the Arizona Board of Regents represented one of the highest levels of public responsibility and service — something I very much aspired to as a way to serve our state,” Stein recalls. “If there was a way to be involved and make a difference, this was it. If you can live your life and have a career that leads you to that path, you should do it.”

Now, seated at the same table to which he once aspired, Stein brings decades of expertise as a nationally recognized attorney — and fulfills a long-held ambition to serve the state he has always called home.

In August 2024, Gov. Katie Hobbs appointed Stein to the board, a move unanimously confirmed by the Arizona Senate in May 2025. He filled the vacancy left when Regent Bob Herbold resigned for health reasons and will finish out the remainder of the term through January 2028.

“Lee Stein has a track record of fighting for accountability and transparency, experience that will make him well equipped to serve on the Arizona Board of Regents,” said Gov. Hobbs in her announcement of the appointment. “With a dedication to public service and a deep appreciation for Arizona’s universities, I have no doubt that Mr. Stein will be an effective member of the board and will help ensure accessible and attainable higher education for everyone while safeguarding the integrity of our world-class public universities.”

Stein offers a unique perspective to Arizona's higher education leadership as a problem-solving attorney committed to demystifying complex systems and advocating for students. His background in Title IX advocacy and institutional challenges have instilled in him a relentless commitment to ensuring that student voices are heard, understood and respected.

“Lee Stein brings a rare combination of deep legal expertise and a lifelong commitment to public service,” said ABOR Chair Doug Goodyear. “Lee’s experience as a problem solver and advocate for students strengthens our work. We’re grateful to Gov. Hobbs for appointing someone who will help ensure Arizona’s public universities remain accessible, accountable and connected to the needs of our communities.”

Stein's legal expertise is significant. He was a former assistant U.S. attorney, special assistant to the Arizona attorney general, and worked with the AZ Justice Project and Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest. He is a founding partner at Mitchel, Stein, Carey, Chapman, P.C. This passion for advocacy translates directly to his regent role, where he is committed to addressing critical issues like college access, university funding and student support.

Funding emerges as a critical concern for Stein. Reflecting on his own education at the University of Arizona and Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, he's passionate about making higher education more accessible for students. He also makes a compelling case that education remains critical to individual opportunity and the state’s economic future.

“I've spent a career asking questions,” said Stein. “My approach is to take complex matters and dig deeper until things make sense. I want to help the governor and our state’s education system succeed. I think that's the key to the health of our economy and the health of our state.”

Stein’s appointment to the board coincided with the U of A’s presidential search — a pivotal moment that demanded immediate attention and thoughtful participation. Stein said he engaged fully from the outset. He was particularly struck by the board’s commitment to community involvement, noting how voices from across Tucson were included in the selection. Stein said he cast his vote with confidence as part of the board’s unanimous appointment of President Suresh Garimella.

Now in his second year on the board, Stein will serve as regent advisor for the Regents' Cup. The board's annual speech and storytelling competition is a celebration of free speech and civil discourse at Arizona's public universities — a role that aligns with Stein’s commitment to elevating all voices.

“I’ve learned a lot about campus life and challenges that students face,” Stein said. “This role is about what I can do to help them and make the university system excellent.”