David M. Lanier was appointed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. as Chair of State Fund’s Board of Directors in 2019.
Most recently, Lanier served as the Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency, appointed by Governor Brown in November of 2013. In this position, he served as cabinet advisor on labor issues and employment programs for workers and businesses throughout California.
Secretary Lanier oversaw the state departments and boards that enforce labor and occupational safety laws, provided state disability and unemployment insurance benefits, funded workforce training and apprenticeship programs, protected injured workers, and arbitrated public sector contract disputes.
Prior to his appointment as Secretary, Lanier served as chief deputy legislative affairs secretary to Governor Brown. In this capacity, he was instrumental in the final negotiations and in securing bipartisan legislative approval of the Governor’s 2012 workers’ compensation reforms. He led the Governor’s legislative efforts to overhaul enterprise zone tax credits and eliminate the state sales tax on manufacturing equipment purchases. Lanier also played a key role in the Governor’s efforts to direct increased resources to California’s neediest students and provide local discretion over school spending, raise the minimum wage, and to fund the nation’s first high speed rail project.
Lanier spent nearly two decades serving in leadership positions in the California Legislature. From 1999 to 2011, he was a principal consultant and special advisor at the Assembly Speaker’s Office of Member Services. He served as chief of staff for California State Assembly Member Grace Napolitano from 1997 to 1998, senior consultant for the Joint Legislative Government Oversight Task Force from 1996 to 1997, and legislative director for California State Assembly Member Carole Migden from 1995 to 1996. He started as a legislative aide in the State Capitol in 1993.
Lanier received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He lives in Davis with his wife and two children.
