Kathleen Pender: Newsom appoints Rita Saenz to lead troubled Employment Development Department [San Francisco Chronicle]
Dec. 31 Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday appointed Rita Saenz as the director of the California Employment Development Department, replacing Sharon Hilliard, who will retire Thursday after nearly 40 years with the agency.
Saenz, 71, has more than 40 years of experience in state government and the private sector. Since 2016, she has been a consultant at Saenz and Associates in Sacramento. Before that she had several positions at Xerox, including director of communications and California government affairs. She also served in state government, including director of the California Department of Social Services from 1998 to 2004 and held several positions under Gov. Jerry Brown from 1981 to 1983.