Alicia Isaacs-Lee. Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.49. Alicia Isaacs-Lee
Alicia Isaacs-Lee is one of the top operatives in public service, known for being equally adept at both the kick and the kiss way of getting things done. In her previous role as the Deputy Chief of Staff to Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Isaacs-Lee served as the key liaison between her boss
Taryn Luna. Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.98. Taryn Luna
No conversation about who might be the best reporter covering the Capitol is complete without mentioning Los Angeles Times reporter Taryn Luna. With her scoops, insightful analysis and obvious deep sourcing, Luna is widely respected both inside the building and out. She joined the Sacramento press corps in 2016 when she started
Karla Nemeth. Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.74. Karla Nemeth
Karla Nemeth is the Director of the Department of Water Resources, who since the Brown administration has been leading the state through drought conditions that have only eased up in the last couple of years. In fact, despite the outlook on water resources improving, her stature has only grown as Gov. Newsom
Christopher Cadelago. Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.89. Chris Cadelago
Journalism has had a tough go of it for a while now, but you wouldn’t know it from the meteoric rise of Politico’s Christopher Cadelago, who has steadily become one of the most influential members of the Capitol Press Corps. As a reporter, his stories are must-reads thanks to his deep well
Jason Liles. Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.73. Jason Liles
Yes, we know that current Senate pro Tem Mike McGuire is soon to become pro Tem Emeritus McGuire. But as we write these words he is still on the job and has been all year, as has his top consultant. Liles first stepped in last year to keep the trains running on
Greg Totten. Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.49. Greg Totten
As the CEO of the California District Attorneys Association, Greg Totten may be one of the most consequential names on this year’s list. The DAs, of course, have been on a mission to reform Proposition 47 and Totten in particular has resisted any efforts by Gov. Newsom and the Democrats to keep
Chris Hannan. Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.44. Chris Hannan
The State Building and Construction Trades Council is one of the biggest players in California politics (i.e., they spend a lot of money around the Capitol), particularly when it comes to housing policy, and Chris Hannan is their fresh-faced leader. Hannan took the reins in 2023, the next in a long line
Larisa Cespedes. Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.90. Larisa Cespedes
Larisa Cespedes is a partner at Miller, Cespedes & Associates (MCA), another one of Sacramento’s small-but-mighty boutique lobbying firms. MCA employs just three lobbyists but manages to represent 25 clients, including such big names as the American Beverage Association, Edison, Estee Lauder, FedEx, Phillips 66 and – oh yeah – Walmart. Not
Ramona Prieto. Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.40. Ramona Prieto
Ramona “Monie” Prieto leads Uber’s political efforts in California, and while she’s lesser known than others on this list, her influence is not to be underestimated. As the rideshare giant’s Head of Public Policy & Communications, Western Region, Prieto controls the company’s independent expenditures through the Uber Innovation Fund, which got an
Laiza Negrete. Illustration by Chris Shary for Capitol Weekly.42. Laiza Negrete
For years Laiza Negrete has been content to mostly fly under the radar. But as the head of the California Association of Realtors political action committee and the organization’s top political strategist, she is without question a major player in California policymaking. For one, her organization has a lot of members –