Policy Research and Political Challenges
Deborah Gonzalez ’85 spent over 25 years working in the California legislature (both in the Assembly and the Senate), serving as policy director to five different Republican leaders and representing legislative Republicans in negotiations involving the state budget, as well as welfare, education, health care, prison and tax reform. She now directs government affairs for the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). Her experiences give Gonzalez a unique perspective that combines an intimate knowledge of process in Sacramento with the policy research environment of PPIC.
Gonzalez and her staff work to connect PPIC research with policymakers and community leaders to help think tanks understand what issues to focus on and how to effectively influence the policymaking process in an ever-changing political climate increasingly driven by public opinion, legislative politics, interest group lobbying, and a host of other challenging factors.
A graduate of Claremont McKenna College, Gonzalez holds a law degree from the McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific.
Ms. Gonzalez’s talk is co-sponsored by the Dreier Roundtable and the Rose Institute for State and Local Government.