Noel Neuburger is a Sacramento-based photographer.
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A New Lay of the Land
Entrepreneur and entomologist Pamela Marrone on biologicals in farming and the Capital Region’s innovation ecosystem
Pamela Marrone, CEO and founder of Marrone Bio Innovations, on biotech innovation.
Stockton’s Next Chapter
Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs on shaking up the status quo
Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs has become one of the most scrutinized public officials in the U.S., in part because at 28 years old he is one of the youngest mayors of a large city in the country. He also has far-reaching ideas that have some folks cheering and others jeering. Comstock’s sat down with Tubbs to talk about his efforts to transform his hometown.
Close to Home
League of California Cities Executive Director Carolyn Coleman on pensions, affordable housing and the value of local control
While most people get caught up in the high-profile workings of Sacramento or Washington D.C., the issues that impact their daily lives are actually hashed out most often at the local level. Comstock’s sat down with League of California Cities Executive Director Carolyn Coleman, one of the state’s fiercest advocates for the power of local control.
Crunching Numbers
CalPERS CEO Marcie Frost on challenges facing the largest public pension fund in the nation
With about $350 billion in assets, CalPERS is the largest public pension fund in the nation. Comstock’s spoke with CEO Marcie Frost about some of the challenges the system faces — including the decision to lower its expected rate of return, thereby driving up the mandatory financial contribution from state and local governments.
Measuring Up
Ting Sun, executive director of Natomas Charter School, on the role of charter schools in public education
When it comes to charter schools, people seem to either love them or hate them. We sat down with Ting Sun, executive director of the Natomas Charter School and a member of the California State Board of Education, to talk about the role charter schools play in modern education.
The Big Ideas
Niki Peterson of the UC Davis Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship on preparing future entrepreneurs
For the last dozen years, the UC Davis Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship has fostered hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs out of the classroom setting and into the real world. Comstock’s sat down with Senior Program Manager Niki Peterson to learn how her institute is helping turn the Capital Region into a world-class incubator for innovation.
Onward With the Arts
California Arts Council Executive Director Anne Bown-Crawford on advancing the state through art and creativity
Anne Bown-Crawford, executive director of the California Arts Council on the arts as an economic driver.
Leading The Force
Q&A with Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn
Raised in Oak Park and a Sacramento State graduate, Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn brings a lifetime of local experience to the job. Rich Ehisen sat down with Hahn last January — exactly two months prior to the officer shooting of Stephon Clark — to discuss Hahn’s priorities for our April issue, which went to press just days after details of the shooting began to surface. We have updated the Q&A with a follow-up interview that took place in early April.
Data Driver
GovOps Secretary Marybel Batjer on data security, the silver tsunami and enhancing government efficiency
When Marybel Batjer left her C-suite position with Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas to run California’s newly-created Department of Government Operations in 2013, Gov. Jerry Brown tasked her with a big mandate: Make the Golden State’s government more efficient. Five years later and recently named one of Governing magazine’s 2017 Public Officials of the Year, Batjer sat down with us to discuss what she’s done to make that a reality.
Road Map
California High Speed Rail Authority CEO Brian Kelly on infrastructure, gas taxes and public transit
After five years as the Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency, Brian Kelly took the helm as CEO of California High Speed Rail Authority, effective February 1. We sat down with him to talk about the state’s critical infrastructure needs and the nation’s first high-speed rail system as construction continues in the Central Valley.
Dollars and Sense
California State Controller Betty Yee on tax reform, climate change and tips for small businesses
As the state’s fiscal watchdog, California State Controller Betty Yee has a finger on the pulse of what is now the world’s sixth largest economy. But her influence reaches far beyond just paying the State’s bills. We sat down with her recently to talk about taxes, climate change and why she is compelled to address issues like human trafficking.
Cultivating Creativity
Sutter Health Chief Design and Innovation Officer Chris Waugh on empathy and the case for innovation under constraint
Chris Waugh’s entire corporate career has been about finding a better way to do things. Two years ago, he brought expertise in innovative thinking and problem-solving to local health powerhouse Sutter Health, joining the company as its first chief innovation officer. We sat down with him to discuss his views on bringing out-of-the-box thinking to a company over a century old.
Time of Uncertainty
Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee on the nuts and bolts of health insurance in our state
Covered California Executive Director Peter Lee on navigating the uncertainty of health insurance.
Taking Charge
New UC Davis Chancellor Dr. Gary May on innovation, strategic planning and student outreach
New UC Davis Chancellor Dr. Gary May arrived at the university with a stellar reputation for innovation, leadership and academic equality for all students. We sat down with him recently to discuss his plans and goals for one of the region’s landmark institutions.
Getting To Launch
GO-Biz Director Panorea Avdis on tax incentives, public/private partnerships and ZEVs
California Gov. Jerry Brown created the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development, or GO-Biz, in 2012 to serve as a single point of contact for assisting entrepreneurs and others looking to start, grow or move a business that creates jobs in the Golden State. We recently sat down with Director Panorea Avdis to learn more about what the agency is doing to help California businesses.
Eye on the Horizon
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg on economic development, wireless infrastructure and elevating the city’s culture
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg has a decidedly unique perspective on the role of government borne of experience few can match: he is a former city councilman, California assemblymember and senate president who has come home to local government. We sat down with him to talk about his vision for the city.
In the Driver’s Seat
James Corless, new CEO of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments, on transportation, housing and autonomous vehicles
James Corless has been called “a world-class visionary and leader” in transportation, land use and creative urban planning by Roseville Mayor Susan Rohan. He became CEO of the Sacramento Area Council of Governments in April, after serving as the founding director of Washington D.C.-based Transportation for America. We sat down with him to discus the future of the Capital Region.
California Growin’
California Secretary of Agriculture Karen Ross on automation, GMOs and water use
California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross is far more than just an administrator. Ross grew up on a farm in Nebraska, where she and her husband still own an 800-acre farm and ranch. We sat down with her to talk about the challenges and opportunities currently facing the Golden State’s agricultural industry.
On the Record
Sacramento Bee Executive Editor Joyce Terhaar on how newspapers are adapting to modern times
Over the last few decades, the newspaper industry has endured some of the most challenging times in its long history. We sat down with Sacramento Bee Executive Editor Joyce Terhaar to talk about revenues, technology and reporting in the modern age.
Making the Grade
California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson on charter schools and the future of public education
California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson has spent his career advocating for education issues, from his days as a high school science teacher through his time in the Legislature and now as the state’s top education official. We sat down with him recently to discuss a few critical issues facing California’s schools.
Challenges on Every Front
California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon on the critical issues facing Californians
California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon is one of the most powerful political figures in our state. With term limits now allowing folks like him to serve longer in one chamber, he is likely to stay that way for years to come. We sat down with Rendon to talk about some of the critical issues facing lawmakers and Californians in what is expected to be one of the most turbulent years in modern history.
The Heat is On
Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, on engaging the business community to go greener
As head of the California Air Resources Board for the last decade, Mary Nichols is considered the second most powerful person — after Gov. Jerry Brown — in the state’s wide-reaching efforts to combat climate change. It is an effort state officials have vowed to continue despite the election of President Donald Trump, a climate change denier.
A Mighty Task
Roseville City Manager Rob Jensen on managing one the area’s fastest-growing cities
Roseville City Manager Rob Jensen oversees the Capital Region’s only full-service city, a task that comes with managing a $500 million budget, 15 departments and over 1,200 employees. We sat down with him to talk about the challenges and opportunities facing one of the area’s fastest-growing cities.
Staying Open-Minded
Diane Parro, chief innovation officer for the City of Davis, on how government can support business
Over the last few years, a growing number of states and cities have created offices designed to foster job growth and economic development by helping private sector companies with innovative ideas find their footing. We sat down with Diane Parro, chief innovation officer for the City of Davis, to talk about the city’s role in this process.
Giving Sacramento an Edge
Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council’s Dr. Chris Weare tasked with making the region more competitive
Every community wants a robust economy capable of competing with any other in the country. But how do you do that? That’s the question the Greater Sacramento Area Economic Council is trying to answer. We sat down with Dr. Chris Weare, the group’s director of research and strategy, to learn about its efforts to pump more life into the Capital Region’s economy.
Close to Home
Capital Region Family Business Center’s executive director on how family businesses can learn from one another
Since 2007, the nonprofit Capital Region Family Business Center has worked to help family-run businesses solve some of the unique challenges facing their companies. The organization recently took another step toward that goal by hiring Stella Premo as its first full-time, paid executive director. We talked to her about the ups and downs of running a family business.
The Ball is in His Court
Sacramento State’s athletic director on the trials and tribulations of his sports program
These days, college athletics is as much about big business as competition on the field. We recently sat down with Sacramento State Athletic Director Bill Macriss to talk about the challenges small programs face as they try to compete with the behemoths of big-time college sports.
Meet California’s New ‘Pot Czar’
We talk to the chief of the Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation
Two decades after California voters approved medical marijuana use, state lawmakers finally endorsed the idea of creating a statewide framework regulating the product last year.
A Slow Metamorphosis
West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon talks about his city’s transformation
As West Sacramento’s mayor since 1998, Christopher Cabaldon has been an integral part of the city’s metamorphosis from a gritty industrial outpost to one of the region’s most up-and-coming locales. We recently sat down with him to talk about riverfront development, craft breweries and the impending “green rush” of legal marijuana.
Class In Session
UC Davis Dean of Engineering Jennifer Sinclair Curtis on her vision for the program’s future
For decades, the UC Davis College of Engineering has consistently ranked in the top 35 engineering programs in the nation. That’s definitely good, but not remotely good enough for new engineering dean, Jennifer Sinclair Curtis, who took over the post last October. We recently sat down with the highly accomplished chemical engineer to discuss her vision for making the program even better.
Making Strides
Katharine Gelber, CFO of Iron Mechanical, on how she’s carved out her place in a male-dominated industry
Women have made huge strides in corporate America. But they continue to encounter hurdles far higher than those faced by their male counterparts, particularly in fields still dominated by men. Women remain vastly underrepresented at virtually every level of the corporate ladder.
The Long Game
Councilman Eric Guerra on homelessness, the marijuana industry and Latino representation in city government
After a decade as a key staffer in the California Legislature, last year the 36-year-old Sacramento District 6 City Councilman Eric became the first Latino to be elected to the Sacramento City Council since former Sacramento Mayor Joe Serna died in 1999. We sat down with him recently to discuss some of the city’s major challenges and opportunities.
Striking Gold
Erica Taylor, VP of communications and community relations at Golden 1, on how the financial institution appeals to young clients — and employees
We sat down recently with Erica Taylor, Golden 1 Vice President of Communications & Community Relations and last year’s Young Professional of the Year, to talk about the credit union’s efforts to attract and retain younger employees and customers.
Share & Share Alike
Senator Mark Leno says the ‘sharing economy’ is a misnomer for big business
California State Senator Mark Leno never intended to enter the political arena. A Wisconsin native who spent two years in rabbinical studies at the Hebrew Union College in New York, his focus was on running the small sign business he owns in San Francisco. But in 1998, then-Mayor Willie Brown appointed him to fill a vacancy on the Board of Supervisors, and a new career was born. Now approaching his final year in the Legislature, we sat down with him to discuss raising the minimum wage, regulating the sharing economy and LGBT rights.
The Crusade for Art Infusion
Sacramento's art czar says it's a necessity, not a luxury
Jody Ulich has been Sacramento’s director of convention and cultural services for just over a year. A transplant from Fort Worth, Texas, the energetic Ulich has brought a fresh energy and perspective to the city’s efforts to stabilize and grow its diverse arts community. We sat down with her recently to discuss the arts and ongoing efforts to modernize the Sacramento Convention Center.
Tech for All
Hacker Lab co-founder Gina Lujan on the power of making
Hacker Lab co-founder and CEO Gina Lujan has been focused on entrepreneurship for over two decades. Hacker Lab’s 10,500-square-foot space in midtown Sacramento had become a hub of innovation for numerous creators and doers in the Sacramento Region, from artists to engineers. The site has been so successful it has opened a second site in Rocklin. We sat down with her recently to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the hacker innovation space.
The Helping Hand
Senator Holly Mitchell says a level playing field is the mission behind most of her measures
California State Senator Holly Mitchell can be an imposing figure. While most people presume that term evokes physicality, it is Mitchell’s intellect and passion for defending those she believes have little or no voice in the political process that make her such a formidable figure around the Capitol. We talked with her about her effort to turn that passion into policy.
Learning Curves
Robert Nelsen has taken charge at Sacramento State, and he’s focused on a road map for student success
Before coming to Sacramento, Nelsen was instrumental in turning around the struggling University of Texas Pan-American — growing enrollment, raising revenue and boosting the university’s role in the community. We sat down with him recently to discuss his vision for California’s only true capital university.
Sweet Succession
Jelly Belly CEO Lisa Brasher represents the 5th generation of her family to run the candy bean empire. So just what does it take to keep a company in the family for 146 years?
We sat down recently with CEO Lisa Rowland Basher, the fifth generation of her family to run the company, to learn a little bit about the Jelly Belly philosophy of sustaining a family business.
Head in the Clouds
California State Senate pro Tem Kevin de León has an aggressive plan to curb climate change
Senate pro Tem Kevin de León is California’s first Latino Senate leader in more than 130 years. He has championed an aggressive agenda centered on transitioning the state away from fossil fuels and toward a low-carbon, high renewable energy economy. We sat down with him recently to discuss that transition.
Governing in the Digital Age
California State Assemblyman Matt Dababneh talks tech and the need to improve financial literacy for all
At 34, Assemblymember Matt Dababneh is one of the youngest members of the California Legislature. During his short stint in the Assembly, Dababneh has forged a reputation as a tech-savvy, pro-business lawmaker and earned himself the chairmanship of the Assembly Banking and Finance Committee. We sat down with him recently to talk about a few of his key agenda items.
Above the Bottom Line
State Treasurer John Chiang on California’s credit rating, tax increases and investing for the future
As California’s banker, Treasurer John Chiang has the responsibility of managing the state’s investments and financing. We sat down with him recently to talk about the California economy and his calls for the state to increase affordable housing and for corporate boardroom diversity.
Jobs, Schools & Women — Oh My
Does Assembly Minority Leader Kristin Olsen, one of the youngest legislative leaders in the country, have the experience to drive GOP change?
Newly minted Assembly Minority Leader Kristin Olsen has developed a well-earned reputation around the Capitol as a woman on the move.
Jobs, Schools & Women — Oh My
Does Assembly Minority Leader Kristin Olsen, one of the youngest legislative leaders in the country, have the experience to drive GOP change?
Newly minted Assembly Minority Leader Kristin Olsen has developed a well-earned reputation around the Capitol as a woman on the move.
Ted Talks
Senator Ted Gaines on Tesla, California's business climate and the future of taxes
A long-time small-business owner before entering politics, California Senator Ted Gaines has become a key figure in some of the most important political crusades facing the Sacramento region in recent years, including the battle to save the Kings and efforts to keep electric carmaker Tesla in the Golden State.
Restraining the Titans
California's insurance commissioner on the importance of veto power over rate hikes
California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has spent much of the past decade looking to enact rate regulations on the health insurance industry, first as an Assemblymember and now as the state’s top insurance regulator. We sat down with him recently to talk about Proposition 45, a November ballot measure he supports that would give him the power to reject health insurance rate hikes.
Pitching California
It's Kish Rajan's job to sell California to business—so what's his spiel?
Kish Rajan is the director of GO-Biz, the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. Previously, he was the director of North American sales for SanDisk, was an aid to Phil Angelides during his ’94 run for state treasurer and was a legislative aide to California Sen. Barbara Boxer.
Patent Trolls
What are they, and what's being done to stop them?
Patent infringement lawsuits have long been the business version of a first world problem — a thorny matter for the Googles and Samsungs of the world. But in recent years, so-called patent trolls, shell companies that exist only to sue other companies for allegedly violating patents the shell company owns, have been going after much smaller businesses, from coffee shops to real estate offices.
Realign. Redevelop.
Counties director Matt Cate thinks California is righting its course
No one can accuse Matt Cate of avoiding the hard jobs. During his four years at the helm of California’s state prisons, he guided the system through some of its toughest times, including historic budget cuts and the implementation of Gov. Jerry Brown’s controversial 2011 realignment plan, which shifted tens of thousands of offenders to local jails and parole supervision.
Sweet Sorrow
California Senate leader Darrell Steinberg prepares for departure
Darrell Steinberg has been front and center on some of the biggest issues facing the state and our region, from historic land-use reform to mental health care funding.We sat down with him to discuss his current legislative priorities and possible future plans as he enters his final year in the Senate.