From Gov. Gavin Newsom
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 11, 2023) — Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that Oscar Gonzales, of Davis, has been reappointed to the California Horse Racing Board, where he has served since 2019. Gonzales has been Vice President for Strategy at Golden State Renewable Energy since 2023. He served in the Biden Administration as Assistant Secretary of Administration at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was also a Senior Advisor on Immigration from 2021 to 2023. He was Vice President of Government Relations for Western States at Goldman Sachs from 2020 to 2021. He was Vice President of Government and Community Relations at Aura Financial Corporation from 2017 to 2020. He was a Consultant for the Cal State Los Angeles Dreamers Resource Center in 2017. Gonzales served as an Obama appointee in multiple roles at the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 2009 to 2017, including State Executive Director at the Farm Service Agency, Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of the Secretary, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration, and Deputy Director of Intergovernmental Affairs. He was Associate Director of the United Farm Workers Foundation from 2007 to 2009 and was a cofounder and member of Rural Forward. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Gonzales is a Democrat.