Capitol Weekly’s Top 100: Toks Omishakin

No. 54 Toks Omishakin

Toks Omishakin is a very low profile person in a very high profile job. As Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency, he oversees eight state departments, boards and agencies totaling over 42,000 employees and manages a budget in excess of $30 billion annually. Those entities include CalTrans, DMV, CHP, the High Speed Rail Authority and the California Transportation Commission, which collectively impact just about every policy debate in the Capitol, from housing to environment. He’s a bit like Savoir-Fare – he’s everywhere! (Yes, that’s how the character is spelled and yes we are showing our age with that reference.) But Omishakin is no cartoon – he is one of the most respected people in government, both in California and across the nation. He is known as a thoughtful, collaborative leader who truly wants to improve people’s lives. He took over CalSTA in 2022 after having spent eight years as the Director at CalTrans.

Updated August 11, 2026