Teri Holoman. Illustration by Chris Shary7. Teri Holoman
If Tia Orr is the most powerful unelected woman in California politics, California Teachers Association associate executive director Teri Holoman is a close second. And it makes sense: Holoman heads up government affairs for one of the most powerful interest groups in the Golden State, with the CTA representing 310,000 well-organized members
Lance Hastings. Illustration by Chris Shary50. Lance Hastings
Manufacturing is one of the largest sectors of California’s economy. It accounted for more than 12 percent of the state’s gross domestic product in 2022 and employs more than 1.2 million Californians. Among the state’s most critical leaders for this industry is Lance Hastings, the president and CEO of the California Manufacturers
Janus Norman. Illustration by Chris Shary35. Janus Norman
In 2024, broadband is an essential service, which makes the California Broadband and Video Association, aka CalBroadband, the representative of the state’s leading high-speed internet providers, a rising political power. Leading Calbroadband is President Janus Norman, a rising political power himself, who cut his teeth as the senior vice president for government
Dan Newman. Illustration by Chris Shary90. Dan Newman
Dan Newman is a political strategist, specializing in communications, media relations, and crisis management for candidates, companies, and causes. Newman rose to prominence as partner at SCN Strategies (now Bearstar Strategies). While at SCN he worked on over a dozen successful initiative campaigns and counseled a multitude of high profile Democrats including Kamala
Carl Guardino. Illustration by Chris Shary72. Carl Guardino
The president and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group is Carl Guardino, whose organization represents some 350 businesses, large and small, in the high-tech heart of California. Guardino, once described by a local paper as one of the five most influential business people in Silicon Valley, has headed SVLG for more
Jennifer Kent. Illustration by Chris Shary53. Jennifer Kent
Medi-Cal: A government health care program with some 4,000 employees serving about 13.5 million people, and with an annual expenditure of about $100 billion. As executive director of the Department of Health Care Services, Jennifer Kent has responsibility over the whole enchilada. Former Gov. Jerry Brown appointed her to the position in
Dan Dunmoyer. Illustration by Chris Shary53. Dan Dunmoyer
Dan Dunmoyer is the president and CEO of the California Building Industry Association, a leading voice of home builders, contractors, architects and designers in Sacramento. As such, Dunmoyer finds himself at the red-hot center of the debate over housing and homelessness in California. In arguably the hottest issue in California today, Dunmoyer is
April Verrett. Illustration by Chris Shary25. April Verrett
There are so many iterations of the Service Employees International Union, better known as SEIU, that it takes a scorecard to keep them straight. Many of their leaders are on our list – rightly, too, because their clout can be translated into votes – and that brings us to April Verrett. She is
Ann O'Leary. Illustration by Chris Shary1. Ann O’Leary
Ann O’Leary is the governor’s chief of staff, which means she manages the state’s top personnel, distills political strategy for Gov. Newsom and generally has the final say on action proposals heading his way. That alone guarantees her the top spot on the list, the position she held last year, too. But
Flo Kahn. Illustration by Chris Shary55. Flo Kahn
Floreine “Flo” Kahn is the Sacramento point person for Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, otherwise known as PhRMA. She leads the organization’s massive lobbying operations, which employs six lobbying firms (Fernandez Jensen Kimmelshue Government Affairs, the Apex Group, Capitol Strategies Group, Inc., Heyworth Government Affairs, Noteware Government Relations and Gladfelty Government