Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Carrie Gordon

70. Carrie Gordon

A savvy political veteran who keeps a low profile, Carrie Gordon is the chief strategy officer of the California Dental Association, a 27,000-member organization that ranks as one of the more effective trade groups in Sacramento. CDA’s success rests largely on Gordon’s shoulders as she’s played a critical role in achieving virtually all of the association’s policy goals over the past few years. Her big win this year? Again securing funding in this year’s budget for a program started last year that provides dental care to patients with special needs. As a newbie program in a truly horrendous budget deficit year, the $50 million program was among the governor’s initial round of cuts in January. But a steady push from Gordon, with an assist from Sen. Toni Atkins and Assemblymember Rick Zbur, got the funding restored. Gordon has been with CDA since 2001; she has a bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly and an MBA from 
UC Davis.

Updated Aug. 7, 2024