Bio
Marybel Batjer is a partner at California Strategies, LLC, a public policy and advocacy firm. Among her clients are investor-owned utilities, telecommunication companies, and professional services corporations.
In 2019, Marybel was appointed as President of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). During her tenure at CPUC, President Batjer led the Commission through landmark clean energy, safety, and consumer protection initiatives by ordering procurement of unprecedented amounts of carbon-free resources. And lead the Commissions expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, improvement of the investor owned utilities public safety power shutoff (PSPS), as well as advancing broadband deployment, and establishing consumer protections during Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2013, Marybel became the first Secretary of the newly created California Government Operations Agency, covering eleven departments. Secretary Batjer streamlined the IT procurement processes; restructured the Board of Equalization by creating two new state entities and created the Civil Service Improvement project to modernize civil service policies and processes. In addition, she restructured and initiated the modernization of the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Before heading the Government Operations Agency, Marybel was Vice President for Public Policy and Corporate Social Responsibility at Caesars Entertainment Inc., where she developed and promoted corporate social responsibility policy and initiatives and counseled the senior executive team during a public merger on issues pertaining to reputation management and public policy.
Marybel also served as Cabinet Secretary to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger from 2003 to 2005, Chief of Staff to Nevada Governor Kenny Guinn from 2000 to 2003 and Undersecretary at the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency from 1997 to 1998.
Marybel’s successful and collaborative management style has gained her the respect of leaders in both the public and private sectors, where she has served on several boards and commissions, including as the former Vice Chair of the State of Nevada Colorado River Commission.
Marybel is the recipient of several awards, including Nevada Women’s Fund Hall of Fame 2024. Named by Board of Regents of Nevada University System, Distinguished Nevadan 2020. In her role as Secretary of the Government Operations Agency she received the California Woman Lead: Woman of the Year 2019; the Governing Magazine's National Public Official of the Year 2017. During her service at the Federal level, Marybel was honored with the Medal for Distinguished Public Service with Bronze Palm (highest civilian honor) from the Department of Defense, and the Medal for Distinguished Public Service from the Department of the Navy.
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