LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Los Angeles native Dee Dee Myers will become the chief economic and business adviser for California Gov. Gavin Newsom, it was announced today.
Myers was the White House press secretary during President Bill Clinton's first term -- the first woman to hold the position -- and was recently a top executive for Warner Bros. Her $200,000 per year position with Newsom does not require Senate confirmation.
"California is the world's fifth-largest economy and the gateway to the rest of the world," Newsom said. "While the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted our economy, California will bounce back thanks to our incredible assets and our spirit of innovation. An economic recovery that lifts all Californians will require us to work together. With more than three decades of experience in both the public and private sectors -- in California and nationally -- Dee Dee brings an ability to work across sectors, ensuring that our recovery is built upon common ground and common solutions."
Myers, 59, 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. Previously, she served as executive vice president of Worldwide Corporate Communications and Public Affairs for Warner Bros.
Prior to that, she was 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.
After leaving the White House, she worked as a political analyst, commentator and writer as well as a contributing editor to Vanity Fair. She is author of the New York Times best-selling book "Why Women Should Rule the World."
She also co-hosted the CNBC political talk show "Equal Time" and was a consultant on the Emmy Award-winning drama series "The West Wing."
Before joining the Clinton presidential campaign in 1991, Myers worked on a number of local, state and national campaigns. She served as press secretary for Dianne Feinstein in her 1990 bid for governor of California and worked on the presidential campaigns of Gov. 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. Myers is a director of Wynn Resorts, and serves on the boards of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History and the Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles.