Right Column

Michael Saragosa, Undersecretary

Governor Schwarzenegger announced the appointment of Michael Saragosa as his Undersecretary for the State and Consumer Services Agency in September 2007.

As Undersecretary, Mr. Saragosa serves as the principal advisor to the Secretary on major policy, program, legislation, legal and fiscal matters; represents the Secretary on major policy issue discussions and decisions; and ensures that the programs and activities of Agency departments are properly planned, operated and coordinated.

The entities under the State and Consumer Services Agency are responsible for civil rights enforcement, consumer protection and the licensing of 2.4 million Californians in more than 255 different professions.  The Agency also handles procurement of nearly $9 billion worth of goods and services, the management and development of state real estate, oversight of two state employee pension funds, collecting state taxes, hiring of state employees, providing information technology services, adopting state building standards and the administration of two state museums.

Prior to this appointment, Saragosa served as Executive Director for the Employment Training Panel since February 2007.  He previously served as a Deputy Cabinet Secretary for the Office of Governor Schwarzenegger from 2006 to 2007, where he also held the positions of Chief Deputy Appointments Secretary and Deputy Appointments Secretary from 2003 to 2006.  Prior to that, he served as Chief of Staff to Assembly member Bonnie Garcia in 2003, and was District Director for Assembly member Lynn Daucher from 2001 to 2003.