Keith ‘05 (CCS Literature) and Alice ‘08 (CCS Literature) Riegert establish The Leslie J. Henriques Fund at the College of Creative Studies
Generous endowment will support Leslie J. Henriques Fellowships and Leslie J. Henriques Travel Awards for CCS Writing & Literature students
“I’m beyond grateful for the generosity of Keith and Alice whose philanthropy is such a kind offer of support to our College’s commitment to experiential learning. Their gift is a loving personal tribute to their mother Leslie J. Henriques—a passionate publisher, writer, and photographer whose legacy will continue to inspire. Our amazing, curious, and driven Writing & Literature students will find new opportunities to create original work, attend and present at professional conferences, and engage deeply with the broader literary world. I know the College of Creative Studies community joins me in thanking Keith and Alice, both for establishing this endowment for student support and for the offer to host CCS students as interns at The Stable Book Group. Thank you!”
—Timothy Sherwood, Dean, College of Creative Studies
The College of Creative Studies (CCS) at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) is excited to announce The Leslie J. Henriques Fund, established by Keith Riegert ‘05 (CCS Literature) and Alice Riegert ‘08 (CCS Literature) on behalf of the Trust of Ray Riegert and Leslie Henriques. This endowment was established in loving memory of Keith and Alice’s mother—Leslie J. Henriques (1947–2024)—who was instrumental in introducing Keith and Alice to UCSB, both CCS Literature* graduates.
This endowment will provide support for Leslie J. Henriques Fellowships, prestigious undergraduate fellowships for CCS Writing & Literature (W&L) students during the summer or the academic year. The student recipients will be named Henriques Fellows. In addition, the endowment will support Leslie J. Henriques Travel Awards for W&L students who will benefit from attending and/or presenting at non-UCSB writing and literature-related conferences, workshops, retreats, seminars, courses, and other related opportunities.
“The College of Creative Studies at UCSB played a defining role in both Alice’s and my life, and our time as CCS literature majors continues to influence the work we do today. Establishing the Leslie J. Henriques Fund is our way of giving back—by encouraging CCS students to pursue literature, imagine futures in book publishing, and trust in the value of their creative education.” In addition to establishing this fund, we’re especially excited to welcome students as paid interns at The Stable Book Group and offer Gauchos hands-on experience in an industry that means so much to us.”
—Keith ‘05 (CCS Literature)
Leslie J. Henriques, a life-long Gaucho herself, was a creative entrepreneur, author, and photographer. Following UCSB, Leslie went on to receive her Masters in Public Health from the University of Hawaii, Manoa. Her career in publishing began in 1983 when she launched the Ulysses Press, an independent publisher founded with her husband, Ray Riegert, in Berkeley, CA. Ray and Leslie led Ulysses Press to great success, considered one of the “fastest-growing independent publishers” by Publishers Weekly. It was Leslie who found and encouraged her eldest child, Keith, to apply to and attend CCS and UCSB (Alice joined CCS shortly thereafter). Among other titles, Leslie was the co-author of several editions of Hidden Coast of California and The Autism Workbook for Parents. As a photographer, her work appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, and other publications.
Like their parents, Keith and Alice became champions of independent publishers to provide diverse voices, foster unique literary styles, and offer authors more creative control, ensuring a richer, more varied literary landscape for readers who seek out unique stories and perspectives. They learned the ins and outs of independent publishing by working side by side with their parents at Ulysses Press. In 2025, Keith and Alice brought Ulysses Press into The Stable Book Group, a collection of independent publishers with locations in Brooklyn, NY and Petaluma, CA. Today, Keith is the president of The Stable Book Group where he focuses on expanding the business by pushing boundaries and experimenting with new forms and voices, keeping literature vibrant and evolving. Alice remains active as a member of the board at The Stable Book Group. In addition to establishing the endowment, Keith and Alice are offering CCS student internships at The Stable Book Group as they believe strongly in preparing students for the future with real-world applications.
The College of Creative Studies is extremely grateful to Keith and Alice for the significant impact they will make on future generations of creators, changemakers, and leaders with the establishment of The Leslie J. Henriques Fund in loving memory of their mother.
To contribute to The Leslie J. Henriques Fund and for information on making an impact at CCS through philanthropic giving and other engagement opportunities with the College, contact Venilde Jeronimo, CCS Director of Development + Engagement, at venilde@ucsb.edu.
*The CCS Literature program was renamed to CCS Literature & Writing in fall 2016.