DETROIT — General Motors made a new appointment to its board of directors earlier this week.

The automaker added Dr. Cynthia Telles, who has been on the faculty of the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry since 1986 and is currently the director of the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute Spanish-Speaking Psychosocial Clinic.

GM mentioned that Telles already is a member of the board of the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals and Americas United Bank, the largest Hispanic-owned bank based in California.

"The addition of Dr. Telles to GM's board of directors ensures that the company will continue to benefit from a diversity of perspectives and experience in our mission to provide consumers with the world's best vehicles," noted Ed Whitacre, GM's chief executive officer and board chairman.

The automaker noted that Telles' appointment brings the number of GM directors to 13. In addition to Whitacre, the other board members include:

—Patricia Russo, former CEO Alcatel-Lucent.

—Carol Stephenson, dean of Richard Ivey School of Business at University of Western Ontario.

—Daniel Akerson, managing director and head of Global Buyout of The Carlyle Group.

—David Bonderman, co-founding partner and managing general partner of TPG.

—Robert Krebs, retired chairman and CEO of Burlington Northern Santa Fe.

—Stephen Girsky, GM vice chairman, Corporate Strategy and Business Development.

—Erroll Davis, chancellor, University System of Georgia.

—Neville Isdell, retired chairman and CEO, The Coca-Cola Co.

—Kent Kresa, chairman emeritus, Northrop Grumman Corp.

—Philip Laskawy, retired chairman and CEO, Ernst & Young LLP.

—Kathryn Marinello, former chairman and CEO, Ceridian Corp.