David Villanueva exemplifies the success and impact of Sacramento State graduates through the building of his significant career in government, first with the State of California and ultimately with the County of Sacramento. As the current county executive, he is responsible for planning, organizing, directing and coordinating the county’s activities and, along with his executive team, overseeing more than 30 departments.
A Sacramentan through and through, Villanueva was born and raised here, a graduate of Luther Burbank High School as well as Sac State. “I have incredible dedication to Sacramento County and the people of Sacramento County and am proud to lead with honesty, integrity and transparency,” he says.
Villanueva began his professional journey in government while still a Sac State student with a Medical Board of California accounting position. He moved on to the State Department of General Services, then transitioned into technology and became that department’s chief information officer. He then moved to the County of Sacramento as chief information officer, followed by positions as deputy county executive and assistant county executive, before he ultimately took on the county executive role he holds today.
“I have incredible dedication to Sacramento County and the people of Sacramento County and am proud to lead with honesty, integrity and transparency.”—David Villanueva, County Executive
His business administration degree with a concentration in accountancy has provided the ideal foundation. He explains, “My degree is directly connected to what I do today, as one of my core responsibilities is the county’s budget. My education gave me the fundamentals of finance, budgeting and accounting, and my additional focus on business technology has enabled me to understand and improve business processes throughout my career.”
Villanueva notes that Sac State has played a pivotal role in educating and preparing generations of students for jobs, whether in government or the private sector. “My wife and I are both Sac State graduates and have sent both of our kids successfully through Sac State as well. They represent the next generation of success for this university that has been educating our region’s leaders and innovators for 77 years.”
