Governor Names New Business Adviser

Dee Dee Myers

Governor Gavin Newsom has named longtime political strategist Dee Dee Myers as his senior adviser and director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz).

The appointment of Myers as the Governor’s top economic adviser is “good news,” the California Chamber of Commerce said in a statement. “Dee Dee’s deep political experience, exceptional leadership and communication skills will benefit California’s businesses and our economy as we all pull together to overcome the fallout of the pandemic. In her new role, Dee Dee will be instrumental in ensuring a bright economic future for our state’s small and large businesses, California trade and tourism industries, and our agricultural operations.”

Myers responded in a tweet that she looks forward to working with the CalChamber and “our great California businesses to create an economy that works for all!”

Myers joined the Newsom administration in May as a volunteer at the peak of the COVID-19 public health crisis, working to support the Governor and his team, including the Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery, whose members included CalChamber President and CEO Allan Zaremberg, CalChamber directors and member firms.

She previously served as executive vice president of worldwide corporate communications and public affairs for Warner Bros. and as a managing director of the Glover Park Group, where she counseled corporate and nonprofit clients on strategic and crisis communications, reputation management and strategic positioning.

Myers also served as White House press secretary during President Bill Clinton’s first term and was the first woman to hold the position.

After leaving the White House, she was a political analyst, commentator and writer, as well as a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. She is the author of the best-selling book Why Women Should Rule the World.

Myers co-hosted the CNBC political talk show “Equal Time” and was a consultant on the Emmy Award-winning drama series “The West Wing.”

Before working on the Clinton presidential campaign in 1991, she worked on a number of local, state and national campaigns. She served as press secretary for Dianne Feinstein in her 1990 bid to be California governor, and worked on the presidential campaigns for Governor Michael S. Dukakis and Vice President Walter F. Mondale.

Myers also worked on the staffs of Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and California State Senator Art Torres. She is a director of Wynn Resorts, Ltd. and a member of the boards of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles.