The GO-Biz Team
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth, economic development, and business assistance efforts.
We offer a range of no-cost consultation services to business owners including: attraction, retention and expansion services, site selection, permit assistance, regulatory guidance, small business assistance, international trade development, assistance with state government, and much more. Our teams are comprised of experts that span industries, geographies and business backgrounds who are happy to assist your economic development and job growth efforts.
Meet our talented team from each department:
Dee Dee Myers
Senior Advisor and Director
Emily Desai
Chief Deputy Director
Tyson Eckerle
Senior Advisor for Clean Infrastructure and Mobility
Sandy Reynoso
Executive Project Manager
Office of Legislative Affairs
Lauren Greenwood
Deputy Director of Legislative & External Affairs
Kristi Cortez
Legislative Analyst
Office of Communications
Willie Rudman
Deputy Director of Communications
Haley Lanham
Assistant Deputy Director of Communications
Office of Legal Affairs
Innovation and Emerging Technologies
Business Development
Business Investment Services Unit
Poonum Patel
Deputy Director, Business Investment Services
Julie Herd
Associate Deputy Director, Business Programs and Outreach
Gabrielle Stevenson
Associate Deputy Director for Regional Business Development
Dustin McDonald
Regional Business Development Specialist, Greater Los Angeles Region
Stephen Suderman
Regional Business Development Specialist, Greater Sacramento, Central & Eastern Sierra Regions
Melissa Howlett
Regional Business Development Specialist, Inland Empire
Tiffany Louk
Regional Business Development Specialist, Central Valley Region
Toni Gomez
Regional Business Development Specialist, Bay Area & Central Coast regions
Nina Natina
Regional Business Development Specialist, North State Region
Moeed Farooq
Business Development Analyst
Tiger Nguyen
Business Development Analyst
Durrah Wagner
Programs and Outreach Analyst
Office of Permit Assistance
Manjeet McCarthy
Associate Deputy Director
Lillian Conroe
Senior Permit Specialist – Southern California Region
Kate Uyeda
Senior Permits Specialist, Northern California
California Competes Tax Credit
Scott Dosick
Deputy Director
Jee Liyanage
Assistant Deputy Director
Jonathan Sievers
California Competes Specialist
Dan Krebs
California Competes Specialist
Brandon Lowe
California Competes Specialist
Nicole Cano
California Competes Analyst
Community and Local Equity Grants Unit
William Koch
Deputy Director
Alejandro Raygoza
Assistant Deputy Director
Natasha Lodahl
Grant Supervisor
Katie Raley
Grant Supervisor
Nicholette Vandenakker
Grant Compliance and Evaluation Analyst
Michael Tovar
Grant Analyst
Energy and Climate Unit
Rohimah Moly
Deputy Director of Energy and Climate
Grace Curtis
Energy Analyst, Energy and Climate
Julie Hubbard
Energy Analyst, Energy and Climate
International Affairs and Trade
Henan Li
Trade and Investment Representative – Asia
Diana Dominguez
Trade and Investment Representative for the Americas
Tricia Utterback
Trade and Investment Representative for Europe, MEA, India
Mariana Guevara
Export Program Manager
Odet Ford
Immigrant Integration Manager
Jonathan Gasca
International Trade Analyst
Office of Regional Economic Development Initiatives
Derek Kirk
Senior Advisor for Economic Policy
Danna Stroud
Associate Deputy Director, Regional Engagement & Development
Maria Onorato
Associate Deputy Director, Industry Engagement & Development
Michael Karavolias
Statewide Industry Engagement Manager
Brian Coleman
Project Financing Manager
Joleah Jackson
Site Readiness & Regulatory Manager
Angela Shepard
Supply Chain Program Manager
Sat Ardas Singh
Economic Development Specialist
Ethan Nash
Economic Impact & Research Coordinator
Claire Gordon
International Investment and Research Analyst
Virginia Gutierrez
Administrative Coordinator
Julieta Arreola
Administrative and Policy Coordinator
Office of Zero Emission Vehicle Market Development
Gia Brazil Vacin
Deputy Director, ZEV Market Development
Heather Hickerson
Assistant Deputy Director, ZEV Market Development
Jessie Denver
Lead Advisor, Utilities & ZEV Market Development
Nidia Erceg
ZEV Equity Advocate
Lillian Liu
Program Manager, Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Market Development
Elsa Alves-Wright
ZEV Market Development Specialist
Valeria Cantor Méndez
Executive Fellow
Catherine Dunwoody
Hydrogen Program Advisor
Lance Dornan
ZEV Market Development Analyst
