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SACRAMENTO - Governor Gavin Newsom today announced Nathan Barankin will serve as his Chief of Staff.
Barankin previously served as Senior Advisor to the Governor. He has decades of experience as a government leader.
“As I step into this role at a time of both challenge and opportunity, I am deeply humbled by the Governor’s appointment,” said Nathan Barankin. “As Chief of Staff, my focus will be on serving the people of California by advancing the Governor’s bold agenda to create jobs, ensure safe neighborhoods, and improve the health and well-being of every family in our state.”
Barankin previously served as Senior Advisor to Kamala Harris during her 2020 presidential campaign and as her Chief of Staff during her tenure as United States Senator and California Attorney General, where he also served as her Chief Deputy Attorney General. Over nearly nine years working alongside the now Vice President, Barankin played a critical role in advancing some of Harris’ key achievements, including holding Wall Street accountable following the mortgage crisis, prosecuting major crime rings, and driving forward reforms in health care, criminal justice, and immigration.
Barankin has also held other senior positions in California state government, including serving as Director of Communications for former Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg and serving in the Attorney General’s Office under Bill Lockyer and then-Attorney General Jerry Brown, where he shaped policy and legal strategy. His extensive experience, spanning Sacramento and Washington, D.C., positions him as an invaluable asset as the administration works to address challenges and expand opportunities for all Californians over the next two years.
The Governor’s announcement comes as outgoing Chief of Staff Dana Williamson departs the administration after nearly two years of service. Barankin and Cabinet Secretary Ann Patterson will report directly to the Governor.
Nathan Barankin, of Sacramento, has been appointed Chief of Staff in the Office of the Governor. Barankin has been Senior Advisor to the Governor in the Office of the Governor since 2024. He was President of Oak Tree Strategies, Inc. from 2020 to 2024. Barankin was Senior Advisor at Kamala Harris for President in 2019. He was Chief of Staff to Senator Kamala Harris in the United States Senate from 2017 to 2019. Barankin was Chief of Staff and Chief Deputy to Attorney General Kamala Harris at the California Attorney General’s Office from 2011 to 2017. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from McGeorge School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California, Davis. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $235,344. Barankin is a Democrat.