Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Jamie Callahan

No. 17 Jamie Callahan

Jamie Callahan’s official title in the governor’s office is Deputy Chief of Staff. He also recently appointed her Senior Counselor on Infrastructure. So to say her hands are full is an understatement. It is also an indication of how valuable Callahan is to the governor, particularly as he pushes to get as much of his agenda done as possible before leaving office. In that regard Callahan is a leading voice on all things regulatory, and she oversees a number of agenda items, including policies focused on climate change and business and economic development. Her gravitas with Newsom is interesting in that unlike so many others with his ear, she is a fairly recent addition to the team rather than another of his all-the-way-back-to-SF crew. She was also a Dana Williamson hire, so it might have been understandable if Newsom had quietly eased Callahan out the door when Williamson’s troubles became public. But if anything, she is more important and has even more responsibility and influence now than ever. Callahan has previously held high level positions with Gov. Jerry Brown and former CARB chief Liane Randolph.

Updated August 11, 2026