Cal. Corp. Code § 12233
"Directors" means natural persons, designated in the articles or bylaws or elected by the incorporators, and their successors and natural persons designated, elected, or appointed by any other name or title to act as members of the governing body of the corporation. "Directors" also means alternate directors described in Section 12331. A person who does not have authority to act as a member of the governing body of the corporation, including through voting rights as a member of the governing body, is not a director as that term is used in this part regardless of title. However, if the articles or bylaws designate that a natural person is a director or a member of the governing body of the corporation by reason of occupying a specified position within or outside the corporation, that person shall be a director for all purposes and shall have the same rights and obligations, including voting rights, as the other directors.
Ca. Corp. Code § 12233