Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Becca Prowda

100. Becca Prowda

Becca Prowda has one of the more unique jobs in the Newsom administration – Chief Protocol Officer. And what does such a person do? Among other things, Prowda coordinates all of the governor’s dealings with the California Protocol Foundation, which collects donations from businesses and private individuals to pay for the governor’s travel and other expenses, theoretically to ensure that taxpayers don’t foot the bill. But it’s more than that. Prowda also handles engagements with the U.S. Department of State and any visiting dignitaries. Niche? Absolutely. But is it really, for a governor who so clearly wants to have a huge national profile, if not run for the presidency? As with the Cal Volunteers program, these are things that matter a lot to Newsom, and Prowda makes that train run on time. It also doesn’t hurt that she’s been Team Newsom since his mayoral days and that her husband is a big time philanthropist, (Daniel Lurie, heir to the Levi Strauss fortune) who at press time is pondering his own run for mayor of The City.