Vacant
California Department of Education
Council Member
Tony Sertich
Tony Sertich was appointed by Governor Newsom in September 2025 as the Executive Director of the California Housing Finance Agency, the state’s affordable housing lender. In this role, he works to further the Agency’s mission to invest in diverse communities with financing programs that help more Californians have a place to call home.
Mr. Sertich directs CalHFA’s effort to collaborate with public and private partners to provide affordable housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income Californians, leading a Single Family division that helped nearly 7,000 families achieve the dream of homeownership last fiscal year and a Multifamily Division that financed more than 2,700 rental units in that same year.
Prior to his appointment as Executive Director, Sertich served as the Assistant Deputy Director of the Division of State Financial Assistance at the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) from 2022 to 2025, and was Deputy State Controller and top housing advisor under State Controller Betty Yee from 2019 to 2022.
Previously, he worked at CalHFA from 2004 to 2018, serving as the Agency's Financing Risk Manager, Director of Multifamily Programs and Director of Enterprise Risk Management and Compliance.
Sertich earned a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Political Science from University of California, Berkeley.
Lourdes M. Castro Ramírez
California Governor Newsom appointed Lourdes Castro Ramírez to serve as Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency on March 2, 2020. She leads and oversees 11 entities responsible for expanding affordable housing, developing comprehensive solutions to end homelessness, guarding civil rights protections, regulating banking and financial services, and strengthening consumer protections with the licensing of nearly 4 million working professionals.
Secretary Castro Ramírez currently serves on the California Strategic Growth Council, the California Housing Finance Agency Board, co–chairs the California Interagency Council on Homelessness, and has been actively engaged in the state's COVID–19 response and recovery serving on the Governor's Business and Jobs Taskforce.
Secretary Castro Ramírez has held notable and prominent positions including being appointed by President Barack Obama to lead the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Public and Indian Housing, President and CEO of the San Antonio Housing Authority, Director at the LA City Housing Authority overseeing rental assistance and resident development programs, and most recently serving as the President University Health System Foundation in San Antonio.
She is an accomplished public servant and executive dedicated to building public, private and philanthropic partnerships efforts to improve community and system–level solutions to expanding housing, health, business, economic and educational opportunities.
Secretary Castro Ramirez has served on several community and national boards and received the 2019 Community Partner Award from the San Antonio chapter of the American Institute of Architects for chairing the Mayor's Housing Policy Task Force. She is the recipient of the Hispanas Organized for Political Equality's 2020 Ray of HOPE award, and 2020 San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame Inductee.
She earned her master's degree in Urban Planning and bachelor's degree in Political Science and Chicano Studies at UCLA.
After the loss of her son Nico in 2012, she and her family established an annual Kick Childhood Cancer Soccer Camp to raise awareness and funds to support pediatric cancer research. Nico loved soccer.
Gustavo F. Velasquez
In May of 2020 Gustavo Velasquez was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development. In this leadership role, Velasquez leads California's housing policy agenda and administers a wide range of programs that produce, preserve, and protect affordable housing and communities of opportunity across the state.
Velasquez was senior director at the Urban Institute, a renowned national research organization working to provide data analysis and insights to policymakers and practitioners in ways both relevant and actionable. Velasquez served for nearly three years as assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). He served on behalf of the president as the strategic lead of the fair housing and inclusive community agenda for the Obama administration. During his tenure, HUD achieved groundbreaking enforcement victories in fair lending and in major housing discrimination cases. Velasquez led efforts to promulgate the landmark Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, a key tool for cities, states, and other HUD funding recipients to reduce inequality and disparities in access to opportunity.
Velasquez worked in executive roles in the administrations of DC mayors Anthony Williams, Adrian Fenty, and Vincent Gray. He also has nonprofit experience as executive director of the Latino Economic Development Center, a local community development organization in Washington, DC, and Congreso de Latinos Unidos, the leading social service provider to Latinos in Philadelphia.
Velasquez has served in numerous boards and committees of financial institutions, civil rights groups, and educational organizations at the local and national levels. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a master's degree in public administration.
Tomiquia Moss
Tomiquia Moss was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to serve as the Secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency in November 2023 and was sworn in on February 13, 2024. As Secretary, Tomiquia leads and oversees 12 entities, including 40 boards and bureaus, collectively responsible for the preservation and expansion of safe, affordable housing, efforts to prevent and end homelessness, protect consumers, and safeguard Californians' civil rights.
Tomiquia brings more than 20 years of leadership experience in the nonprofit and public sectors with deep expertise in housing and homelessness, public policy, civil rights, and community development. She is a dynamic and visionary leader, known for her ability to bring people together to tackle complex problems in a strategic and collaborative way.
In 2019, Tomiquia founded All Home, a Bay Area organization advancing regional solutions to disrupt the cycles that perpetuate homelessness and poverty. In its first four years, All Home convened the Regional Impact Council that developed two ambitious regional plans, and built a team to implement those plans to increase housing and economic security for people with extremely low incomes in the Bay Area. They have advocated successfully for state and local policy change, launched multiple new programs, and granted millions of dollars to nonprofit and local government partners to prevent homelessness and create economic mobility for the people who need it most.
Before founding All Home, Tomiquia served as the CEO of Hamilton Families, which offers emergency, transitional, and permanent housing services for families experiencing homelessness in San Francisco. From 2014 to 2017, she served directly under the mayors of both San Francisco and Oakland, including as Chief of Staff for Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. Previously, she was the Executive Director of the HOPE SF Initiative, a public housing and neighborhood revitalization effort with the office of the late San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee. Tomiquia also served as the founding project director of the San Francisco Community Justice Center of the Superior Court of California.
In 2022, Tomiquia was appointed by Senate Pro–Tem Toni Atkins to serve as a member of the California Interagency Council on Homelessness. As BCSH Secretary, she now serves as co–chair of Cal ICH. Tomiquia is a former board president for both SPUR and the Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California, former co–chair of the Bay Area Council's Homelessness Committee and of the Black Leadership Council, and former board member for Oakland Promise. She served as an Advisory Committee member for the Bay Area Housing Finance Authority from its inception until her appointment as Secretary. She remains a board member of the Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation.
Tomiquia holds a Masters' in Public Administration from Golden Gate University. She and her family are proud to call Oakland home.
Gina Buccieri–Harrington
Gina Buccieri–Harrington has been assistant director of grants management in the Governor's Office of Emergency Services since 2009, where she has served in several positions since 2007, including staff services manager. She earned a Master of Public Administration degree in organizational development from Golden Gate University.
Veronica Lewis
Veronica Lewis, Master of Public of Administration is a recognized leader in Los Angeles County in the Homeless Services, Substance Use Support and Reentry sectors and is the Director of the Homeless Outreach Program/Integrated Care System Division of Special Service for Groups (SSG/HOPICS) where she oversees more than 65 million dollars in annual funding for multi–service programs including: mental health, substance use disorder treatment, reentry support, homeless services, permanent housing programs and sites, and trauma–focused services. HOPICS has permanently housed thousands of households under her leadership.
Under her leadership as Director since January 2011, HOPICS' annual budget has increased by 1500 percent and the workforce by eight (8) times greater in 11 years. Veronica has worked tirelessly as an advocate to improve and coordinate homeless services in LA County– in particular the Service Planning Area Sixth Region (SPA 6) which is made up of South LA and the Cities of Compton, Lynwood and Paramount. Veronica is the founder of the thriving SPA 6 Homeless Coalition. She has played an integral role in the development of the ever–expanding LA Continuum homeless systems of care as the lead for SPA 6's Coordinated Entry System for homeless individuals and families. In 2014 Veronica led and developed the one–of–a kind SPA 6 Family Crisis Housing Network that formed in response to the changing system of care for homeless families in LA County. The Network consists of a blend of homeless and housing providers that provide short to medium term crisis and bridge housing for families working toward permanent housing through the local Family Solutions Center– and still keeps 300 families with children off of the street every night in interim housing present day. Due to her leadership and advocacy HOPICS opened the first publicly funded interim housing location for transgender women and non–binary individuals in Los Angeles. Under her leadership, HOPICS has permanently housed more than 5000 homeless families within the last 10 years. Veronica has represented the interest of SPA 6 and the LA Continuum of Care (CoC) as member and Chair of the CoC Board and Coordinating Council. Veronica is also a Los Angeles County Public Social Services Commissioner appointed by LA County Supervisor Janice Hahn.
She has worked diligently to secure housing resources and build the capacity of small homeless and reentry agencies in South LA and the Cities of Compton and Lynwood. In her daily work Veronica has and continues to advocate for racial equity and honest dialogue about ways to improve the overwhelming number of health, economic, carceral and housing disparities for black people and other people of color in LA County. She deeply understands the intersection of race, homelessness, behavioral health and the criminal justice systems. She was a member of the Los Angeles Ad Hoc Committee on Black People experiencing Homelessness (BPEH) and delegation of members responsible for finalizing the report and recommendations and currently serves on the Steering Committee for BPEH which is responsible for implementation oversight of the recommendations. Veronica is also a member of the Homelessness Policy Research Institute (HPRI) Racial Equity Steering Committee.
Veronica served as the Chair of the Los Angeles Reimagine LA Measure J Advisory Committee and led the process of developing a recommended transformative spending plan that resulted in LA County funding $187 Million for the inaugural year one (FY 22) of investment into Care First– Jails last and Community Investment– which funds diversion and reentry services, de–carceration of LA County jails, primary health, behavioral health, housing, economic development, and youth support. Veronica is currently the Chair of the Los Angeles County Care First and Community Investment Advisory Committee. She is a member and immediate past chair of the Steering Committee for the Los Angeles Regional Reentry Partnership (LARRP) and provides leadership on the Housing Committee.
In addition to her contribution to local Los Angeles City and County homeless/housing, reentry and SUD systems, programs and policies, Veronica also lends her expertise to help shape policies, best practices and projects at the state and national level through her participation in the Collaborative Justice Courts Advisory Committee for California Courts Judicial Council; National Alliance to End Homelessness– Capacity Building Network; National Research Council– Transportation Research Board for the Airport Cooperative Research Program Project 03–59 Panel to help develop best practices nationwide to address homelessness at airports; and as a Member of the California Department of Health Care Services Proposition 64 Advisory Group where she helps shape program design and utilization of more than 60 million for the Youth Education Prevention, Early Intervention and Treatment Account (YEPEITA).
Kaina Pereira
Kaina Pereira serves as the Executive Director for the California Workforce Development Board. Pereira previously served as Senior Advisor for Business Development, which included the California Business Investment Services Unit, the Office of Permit Assistance, and Community and Place–Based Solutions at the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO–Biz). He held a number of positions while at GO–Biz including lead as Senior Advisor for Business Development and International Trade, Deputy Director for California Business Investment Services, Acting Deputy Director of the Office of Permit Assistance and the interim Deputy Director of International Affairs and Trade at the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development. He was a business, entrepreneurial and real estate consultant from 2012 to 2018, financial strategist and e–commerce manager for Styles for Less Inc. from 2006 to 2011 and senior contracts administrator at Autoweb.com from 2005 to 2006. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Davis and his undergraduate degree from San Diego State University.
Jeffrey Macomber
Jeff Macomber was appointed CDCR Secretary by Governor Gavin Newsom on December 12, 2022. His career at CDCR has spanned nearly three decades, beginning as a Correctional Officer at Ironwood State Prison in 1993. Most recently, he served as Undersecretary of Operations from 2020 to 2022. He has diverse experience at CDCR, including leadership roles in custody, administration, and health care.
Secretary Macomber understands the importance of providing meaningful and diverse rehabilitative opportunities to the people in our care and to fostering a correctional system focused on the wellness and professional development of staff.
Secretary Macomber served in various roles at CDCR Headquarters from 1994 to 2004, then as Correctional Business Manager at Richard A. McGee Correctional Training Center from 2000 to 2004. He was Chief of the Program Support Unit and Transportation Unit from 2004 to 2007, and then started at California State Prison–Sacramento (SAC) as a Correctional Administrator in 2008. While at SAC, Macomber served as Chief Deputy Warden in 2009, then again from 2010–2013, and as Warden from 2013–2016. Following his tenure at SAC, he became Deputy Director of Facility Support in the Division of Adult Institutions from 2016 to 2018. In 2019, Mr. Macomber served as the Director of Corrections Services for California Correctional Health Care Services before becoming the Undersecretary of Administration. In late 2020, he transitioned to Undersecretary of Operations.
When not working, Secretary Macomber enjoys tending to his vegetable garden, running, and hiking. He is married, has two children, and two cats.
Stephanie Clendenin
Stephanie Clendenin of Antelope was appointed director of the Department of State Hospitals by Governor Newsom in 2019. She served as chief deputy director of the department from 2015 to 2018. Prior to joining DSH, she held multiple positions at the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). She was appointed to this position by Governor Brown in June 2011. She managed OSHPD's operating divisions responsible for the building and financing of health facility infrastructure, the collection and analyses of healthcare data, and the development and expansion of healthcare professionals to serve and improve the delivery of healthcare, particularly in medically underserved communities in California. Ms. Clendenin has over 28 years of experience with the State of California. Ms. Clendenin's previous government experience includes positions with Cal–Fire, Department of Finance, the former Department of Health Services, and the Department of General Services.
Susan DeMarois
Susan DeMarois joined the California Department of Aging as Director on November 1, 2021.
Prior to joining CDA, Susan led public policy and advocacy for the national Alzheimer's Association in California. As a registered lobbyist in Sacramento, Susan advocated for legislative, budget, and regulatory changes at the state capitol on behalf of the 2.1 million Californians directly impacted by Alzheimer's disease. The organization led the effort to implement the Healthy Brain Initiative in California, resulting in a $5 million investment in the state's public health infrastructure. On October 4, 2021, Governor Newsom signed SB 48 (Limón) into law, enacting the first dementia early detection initiative in the nation focused on the Medicaid population.
Susan served as an appointee to Governor Newsom's Alzheimer's Prevention and Preparedness Task Force, chaired by former First Lady Maria Shriver, in addition to the Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee, a workgroup established by Executive Order. In addition, Susan represented the Alzheimer's Association on the CHHS Agency Secretary's Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Advisory Committee.
Before working for the Alzheimer's Association, Susan led government and community relations for the UC Davis Health System and its academic medical center, children's hospital, medical school, nursing school and physician group. Early in her career, she worked for LeadingAge California, the professional trade association representing not–for–profit housing, residential care and skilled nursing providers along with home and community–based services.
A graduate of CSU Chico, Susan started her career working for the U.S. Congress and California State Assembly. Susan is a proud mom to two adult daughters.
She resides in Sacramento, CA and draws inspiration for her work from her own mom's experience with dementia.
Nancy Ward
Nancy Ward is the Director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), the first woman to hold the position, which she started in January 2023. Ward started her Emergency Management career in 1985, with the California Department of Social Services and went on to serve in several positions at Cal OES starting in the early 90s and again in 2014, bringing decades of distinguished leadership in emergency management, including at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Ward had been a Retired Annuitant at Cal OES since 2017, where she was Chief Deputy Director and Homeland Security Deputy Advisor from 2014 to 2017. In 2009, she served as the FEMA Acting Administrator within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Ward was Regional Administrator for FEMA Region IX, which serves Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and American Samoa, from 2006 to 2014, and served as FEMA Response and Recovery Division Director from 2000 to 2006.
Ward served in two details at FEMA headquarters as the Deputy Director of the Recovery Directorate during FEMA's response and recovery operations for the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. She has also served in various senior management positions in more than 100 disasters, including severe storms, flooding, wildfires, landslides, mudslides, and earthquakes in California, response to 911 and Hurricane Katrina, and Pacific area earthquakes, tsunamis, and severe drought.
Before joining FEMA, Ward was Chief of the Disaster Assistance Branch and Deputy State Coordinating Officer for Cal OES. She administered the state's Natural Disaster Assistance Act program assistance provisions, which provide disaster assistance funding to local governments for state–level emergencies and disasters.
Ward has received awards for extraordinary accomplishments, including the 2007 DHS Award for Excellence for her leadership during the California wildfires, President Obama's 2009 Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Executive, was inducted in 2012 into the International Woman in Homeland Security and Emergency Management Hall of Fame, and received the 2023 California Woman in Homeland Security Leadership Award.
Kim Johnson
Kim Johnson was appointed Secretary of the California Health & Human Services Agency in September 2024 by Governor Gavin Newsom.
Prior to her appointment as Secretary, Ms. Johnson was appointed Director of the California Department of Social Services by Governor Gavin Newsom, a position she held from July 2019 – August 2024. In this role, Ms. Johnson led a team of over 5,500 employees – the largest Department in the California Health and Human Services Agency – serving over 7 million Californians.
Ms. Johnson started with the California Department of Social Services in 2015 and had previously been appointed by Governor Jerry Brown to serve as Deputy Director of the Family Engagement and Empowerment Division, CalWORKs and Child Care Branch Chief, and Child Care and Refugee Programs Branch Chief.
Ms. Johnson has over 25 years of experience working in both community–based organizations and government focused on advancing the health and well–being of individuals, families, and communities most in need of resources.
The mission of the California Health & Human Services Agency is aligned with her purpose.
Lindsey Sin
Lindsey Sin was appointed as Secretary of CalVet by Governor Gavin Newsom on May 26, 2023. She has served in several roles at CalVet since 2011, including Deputy Secretary of Communications and Deputy Secretary of Women Veterans Affairs. Sin is the first woman to serve as Secretary of CalVet since the appointment of Virginia Mae Days as Director in 1975.
After graduating from high school in her hometown of Sacramento, Lindsey enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served from 1997 until 2005 as a Cryptologic Technician Interpretive in the Arabic language. She completed two flight tours in Rota, Spain during which time she deployed in support of Operations Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom, and achieved the rank of Petty Officer First Class with Naval Aviation and Naval Aircrew designations.
After separating from the Navy, Lindsey returned to Sacramento and worked as the Lead Certifying Official for veterans services at American River College. She continued her work with veterans at Sacramento State as the Veterans Benefit Advisor and Certifying Official, focusing on developing programs for student veterans. Lindsey has a BA in History, Magna Cum Laude, from Sacramento State and an MBA from Drexel University.
Christina Snider–Ashtari
Christina Snider–Ashtari serves as Tribal Affairs Secretary to Governor Gavin Newsom and leads the Governor's Office of Tribal Affairs established within the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom on July 1, 2022. Snider–Ashtari was appointed February 19, 2019 by Governor Newsom to continue her service in the Governor's Office following her appointment on February 6, 2018 by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. She has also previously served as Executive Secretary of the California Native American Heritage Commission, appointed by Governors Newsom and Brown. Snider–Ashtari is an enrolled member of the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians.
As a member of the Cabinet, Secretary Snider–Ashtari serves as the Governor's Tribal Advisor and oversees effective government–to–government consultation between the Governor's Administration and California tribes; informs, develops and implements policy directives related to tribal governments and Native American communities; leads the California Truth & Healing Council and California Indian Heritage Center Task Force and oversees the Tribal Nation Grant Fund Program.
In addition to her duties leading the Governor's Office of Tribal Affairs, Secretary Snider–Ashtari serves as a member of the California Broadband Council, the Judicial Council Tribal Court–State Court Forum and an ex officio member of the California Advisory Committee on Geographic Names.
Secretary Snider–Ashtari received her law degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2013 and is licensed to practice law in California and the District of Columbia. She has extensive experience in tribal law and policy, having worked with the United States Department of Justice Office of Tribal Justice, the National Congress of American Indians, the California Native American Heritage Commission, and several tribal governments and organizations across the nation. Snider–Ashtari received her Bachelor's Degree in History from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Michelle Baass
Michelle Baass was appointed Director of the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) by Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2021. The Department supports the health of over 13 million Californians.
Before her appointment to DHCS, Ms. Baass served as Undersecretary of California Health and Human Services Agency (Agency) since 2018 and Deputy Secretary of the Office of Program and Fiscal Affairs at Agency from 2017 to 2018. Prior to joining the executive branch, Ms. Baass worked for the Legislature for 13 years, including positions at the California State Senate Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review, the Senate Office of Research, and the California Legislative Analyst's Office.
Ms. Baass earned a Master of Public Policy and Administration degree from California State University, Sacramento and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame.
Ms. Baass is honored to serve Californians.
Marina Wiant
Marina was appointed by Treasurer Fiona Ma as the Executive Director of the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee (CDLAC) and the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (CTCAC). Both committees are chaired by Treasurer Ma and play a critical role in financing the construction of affordable rental housing in California.
Prior to her appointment, Marina served since 2012 as Vice President of Government Affairs for the California Housing Consortium (CHC), a statewide, nonpartisan advocate for the production and preservation of housing affordable to low– and moderate–income Californians. At CHC, Marina led a policy and advocacy team that secured the passage of a range of legislation, ballot measures, and budget resources that have transformed the affordable housing industry—including the state's first permanent source of funding for affordable housing since redevelopment and its last statewide housing bond, as well as groundbreaking legislation that has opened new sites to affordable development and accelerated local approvals.
Prior to joining CHC, Marina worked as a legislative staffer in the California State Assembly and interned with the Assembly Business, Professions, and Consumer Protection Committee.
Marina received her J.D. from Santa Clara University, with an emphasis in international law, and received her B.A. from UCLA, majoring in political science and minoring in Global Studies and Russian Language. She was admitted to the California State Bar in December 2010.
Margot Kushel
Margot Kushel, MD is a Professor of Medicine at University of California San Francisco, and Division Chief and Director of the UCSF Center for Vulnerable Populations, and Director of the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative. She is a practicing general internist at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Margot's research focuses on the causes and consequences of homelessness and housing instability, with the goal of preventing and ending homelessness and ameliorating the effects of homelessness and housing instability on health. She is the principal investigator of the ongoing NIA funded study, the Health Outcomes of People Experiencing Homelessness in Older Middle agE (HOPE HOME) study, which examines the causes and consequences of homelessness in older adults, and the principal investigator of the California Statewide Study of Homelessness. She speaks at a local, state, and national level about issues of homelessness, and frequently provides testimony to legislative bodies. She received her AB from Harvard College, her MD from Yale and completed residency, chief residency, and fellowship in internal medicine at UCSF. Margot is a Board Member of Housing California.
Jennifer Troia
Jennifer Troia was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom as the Director of the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) in October of 2024. In this role, she leads a team of more than 5,500 employees serving more than 7 million Californians in the largest Department in the California Health and Human Services Agency. Ms. Troia joined CDSS in January 2020 and previously served as Chief Deputy Director overseeing the Child Care and Development Division, Children and Family Services Division, and the Family Engagement and Empowerment Division.
Ms. Troia has more than 20 years of experience working on programs serving children, adults, and families and is deeply passionate about CDSS' mission to serve, aid, and protect those most in need. Prior to her work at CDSS, she served in various capacities in the California Legislature from 2008–2019. Before that, she started her career as an attorney and advocate for children and youth in foster care.
She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida.
She is honored to serve Californians in this leadership capacity.
Erica Pan
Dr. Erica Pan serves as director and state public health officer for the California Department of Public Health, a role she assumed on February 1, 2025. As CDPH director, Dr. Pan strives to embody and promote the values of dignity, equity, compassion and humility. She works with collaborative partnerships to communicate and empower communities and institutions to transform policies and systems to include a “health in all policies” approach, acknowledging that addressing the social determinants of health are fundamental to achieving healthy communities with thriving families and individuals. As California's public health officer, Dr. Pan exercises leadership and legal authority to protect health and prevent disease.
Prior to becoming director, Dr. Pan was the deputy director of CDPH's Center for Infectious Diseases and state epidemiologist beginning in July 2020. Dr. Pan was also the CDPH acting state public health officer from August 10, 2020 to January 3, 2021.
Before joining CDPH, Dr. Pan gained experience at the local level with a focus on infectious disease control & prevention, and public health emergency response. She served multiple roles at the Alameda County Public Health Department between 2011 and 2020, including health officer, director of communicable disease control and prevention, and deputy health officer. Dr. Pan also held several positions at the San Francisco Department of Public Health between 2004 and 2011.
Dr. Pan is a clinical professor for pediatric infectious diseases at the University of California, San Francisco. She maintained her clinical work in infectious diseases at San Francisco General Hospital and at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland.
Dr. Pan received her MD and MPH degrees from Tufts University School of Medicine and completed her undergraduate education at Stanford University.
Kim Rutledge
Kimberly Rutledge, of Sacramento, has been appointed Director at the Department of Rehabilitation. Rutledge has been Deputy Director of Legislation and Communications at the Department of Rehabilitation since 2022. She held several positions at the California Department of Social Services from 2016 to 2022, including Chief of the Adult Programs Policy and Quality Assurance Branch and Adult Protective Services Program Liaison. Rutledge held several positions at United Domestic Workers of America, AFSCME Local 3930 between 2012 and 2016, including Budget and Policy Analyst and Assistant Legislative Director. She was an Independent Policy Consultant at the County Welfare Directors Association of California from 2011 to 2012. Rutledge was Sweeney Graduate Intern on Disability Policy at the National Academy of Social Insurance in 2011. She was a Graduate Policy Intern at the Disability Community Resource Center from 2010 to 2011.She was a News Copy Editor at the Sacramento Bee from 2005 to 2009. She is a member of the National Academy of Social Insurance. Rutledge earned a Master of Social Welfare degree from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri, Columbia.
Dina El–Tawansy
Dina El–Tawansy is a trailblazing leader in California's transportation sector, currently serving as the 35th Director of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). Appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom, she now oversees the management of more than 50,000 miles of California's highway and freeway lanes and leads a department with a nearly $18 billion budget and a workforce of 22,000 employees. Caltrans operates through six core programs: Aeronautics, Highway Transportation, Mass Transportation, Transportation Planning, Administration, and the Equipment Service Center.
With 27 years of distinguished public service, El–Tawansy brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to public infrastructure. Her career at Caltrans spans three districts and multiple divisions, including leadership roles such as Chief Deputy Director, San Francisco Bay Area (District 4) Acting Director, and Deputy District Director of Operations and Maintenance in Orange County (District 12). Most recently, she served as the Caltrans Bay Area (District 4) Director, becoming the first woman to hold this position in the district's history. In that role, she managed a $2 billion budget and led nearly 3,400 staff across the nine Bay Area counties–Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara. Her oversight included highways, toll bridges, and tunnels, and she remained steadfast in advancing multimodal, sustainable, and equitable transportation solutions.
El–Tawansy holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, and a Master of Science in Construction Management from California State University, Long Beach. She is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) in the State of California and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).
Her leadership is marked by a people-focused approach, a dedication to innovation, and a passion for mentorship. She is deeply committed to fostering the next generation of engineers and transportation professionals, often mentoring students and early-career professionals. Outside of work, she finds inspiration in nature and enjoys hiking California's scenic trails.
California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin praised her appointment, stating, "Dina brings strong leadership history, extensive transportation expertise and nearly three decades of impressive Caltrans credentials to the helm of the most complex transportation network in the nation."
El–Tawansy's vision is clear: to accelerate the work of Caltrans across all programs and deliver efficient, effective, and inclusive transportation solutions that improve the lives of all Californians.
Rowena Tomaneng
Dr. Rowena M. Tomaneng has been a multicultural educator in the California Community Colleges for 30 years. Dr. Tomaneng is currently Deputy Chancellor for the California Community Colleges since October 2024, and she is responsible for implementing the Vision 2030 goals of increasing with equity student access, success, and support through her divisions; Academic Affairs; Student Services; Workforce and Economic Development; Innovation, Data, Evidence and Analytics; Program Operations and System Initiatives, and Equity, Innovation, and Institutional Effectiveness.
Prior to joining the Chancellor's Office, Dr. Tomaneng served as President of San José City College (SJCC) in the San José-Evergreen Community College District from 2016-2020 and President of Berkeley City College (BCC) in the Peralta Community College District from 2020-2024. During her presidencies, she implemented several Promise Programs with K-12 and University partners to increase African American/Black, Asian American, and Latiné student transfer. Dr. Tomaneng also increased career education pathways in biotechnology, digital and multimedia design, Google-IT apprenticeship, and others.
Dr. Tomaneng previously served in multiple roles at De Anza College, in the Foothill-De Anza Community College District, including faculty, Division Dean, and Associate Vice President of Instruction. At De Anza, she supervised the implementation of two AANAPISI federal grants and the nationally recognized IMPACT AAPI program, Initiative to Maximize the Positive Achievement and Cultural Thriving of Asian American and Pacific Islander students. She also co-founded the Vasconcellos Institute for Democracy in Action (VIDA).
Beyond the CCCCO, Dr. Tomaneng serves as President of Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE) Board of Directors, executive member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), and Commissioner for the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). Dr. Tomaneng's teaching, research and publications explore human rights, social movements, transnational feminism, and racial equity in education. She has written and contributed to a variety of publications including the Journal of Multicultural Perspectives, Overcoming Educational Racism in the Community College, and Transformative Practices for Minority Student Success: Accomplishments of Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions.
A first-generation immigrant from the Philippines and community college transfer student from Cypress College, Dr. Tomaneng received her EdD from the University of San Francisco's School of Education in International and Multicultural Education with a concentration in Human Rights Education, MA in English from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and BA in English from the University of California, Irvine.