Center Leadership

Faculty Leadership

The distinguished political scientist Bruce E. Cain is the Spence and Cleone Eccles Family Director of the Bill Lane Center for the American West and Charles Louis Ducommun Professor in Humanities and Sciences. Professor Cain succeeded the Center's founding faculty co-directors, David M. Kennedy and Richard White. 

Spence and Cleone Eccles Family Director, Bill Lane Center for the American West, Charles Louis Ducommun Professor in Humanities and Sciences, Professor of Political Science

Bruce Cain is an expert in U.S. politics, particularly the politics of California and the American West. A pioneer in computer-assisted redistricting, he is a prominent scholar of elections, political regulation and the relationships between lobbyists and elected officials.  Prior to joining Stanford, Professor Cain was director of the Institute of...


Center Staff

A small core administrative staff supports the Center's daily work to advance undergraduate education, academic research, and journalism of the American West.  Also see our researchers, fellows, and joint project staff.

Associate Director

Kate joined the Bill Lane Center for the American West in April 2021. In her capacity as associate director, she manages the Center’s programming, development, finances and administration. Kate has deep roots in the West, and cares deeply about its communities, its culture and its ecosystems.

Prior to joining the Lane Center, Kate...