Senior Fellows Charter

Governor's Innovation Fellows — Cohort 1

Draft 1.0 | March 2026

Purpose

The Governor's Innovation Fellows Program was established under Executive Order N-30-25 to modernize California state government operations through internal talent.

This charter defines how Cohort 1 Senior Fellows organize, coordinate, and deliver on that mandate.

21
Senior Fellows
9
State Agencies
15
Departments
80%
Time on Projects

The Senior Fellows operate as a cross-agency network — practitioners embedded across departments who use their positions to drive measurable modernization outcomes.

Goals

1
Deliver on the Executive Order
EO N-30-25 directs the state to improve efficiency, service delivery, and customer experience. Senior Fellows are the execution layer.
2
Coordinate Across Agencies
Monthly and quarterly meetings create a shared operating picture — surfacing common challenges, sharing solutions, and avoiding duplicated effort.
3
Build Momentum for Modernization
Strength in numbers: when agencies see peers succeeding with modernization, the barrier to adoption drops.
4
Demonstrate Impact for Continuity
The current administration ends January 2027. The fellowship's continued existence depends on a clear record of results.

Cohort 1 Fellows

Fellow Department Agency
Henri Aghaei Baradaran Dept. of Developmental Services Health & Human Services
Bryanna McAdams Dept. of Child Support Services Health & Human Services
Kattya Trinh Office of Technology & Solutions Integration Health & Human Services
Kannan Krishnan OEHHA Environmental Protection
Christina Marin-Fitzhugh Air Resources Board Environmental Protection
Brent Vanderburgh State Water Resources Control Board Environmental Protection
Lorna Brisco Dept. of General Services Government Operations
Jennifer Uyeda Issertell Dept. of Technology Government Operations
Jeremiah Oakden CDTFA Government Operations
Ben Bressette Caltrans Transportation
Liyuan Guo DMV Transportation
Lt. Marc Peachey CA Highway Patrol Transportation
SMSgt Blake E. Carter CA Air National Guard Military Department
Jai London Military Department Military Department
SSgt Kelton Pisano Military Department Military Department
Elizabeth Betancourt Natural Resources Agency Natural Resources
Nikki Hatcher Dept. of Water Resources Natural Resources
Samantha Kissane CDCR Corrections & Rehabilitation
Chris Siino CDCR Corrections & Rehabilitation
Molly Linares California Volunteers Office of the Governor
Will Robinson Governor's Office of Land Use & Climate Innovation Office of the Governor

Fellows by Expertise

Who to contact when you need help in a specific functional area. Fellows may appear in multiple categories.

Expertise Area Fellows
HR, Personnel & EEO Christina Marin-Fitzhugh · Liyuan Guo · Lorna Brisco · Samantha Kissane
Procurement & Contracts Nikki Hatcher · Jai London · Christina Marin-Fitzhugh
Data, Analytics & GIS Henri Aghaei Baradaran · Kattya Trinh · Kelton Pisano · Brent Vanderburgh
IT & Digital Transformation Jennifer Uyeda Issertell · Blake Carter · Molly Linares · Kattya Trinh
Policy & Legislative Affairs Will Robinson · Elizabeth Betancourt · Marc Peachey · Kannan Krishnan
Finance & Budget Kelton Pisano · Marc Peachey · Jeremiah Oakden · Lorna Brisco
Operations & Institutional Reform Chris Siino · Samantha Kissane · Jeremiah Oakden
Strategic Planning & Innovation Ben Bressette · Bryanna McAdams · Lorna Brisco
Environmental Science & Resources Elizabeth Betancourt · Kannan Krishnan · Brent Vanderburgh
Emergency Mgmt & Public Safety Kattya Trinh · Marc Peachey · Kelton Pisano
Customer Experience & Service Delivery Jeremiah Oakden · Bryanna McAdams · Liyuan Guo

Leadership & Support

Cohort 1 operates as a self-directed group. The Senior Fellows Coordinator is elected from within the cohort.

Role Name
Senior Fellows Coordinator Brent Vanderburgh
Senior Counselor, GovOps Stuart Drown
ODI Liaison Anne Crew-Renzo

Training Partners:

Meeting Cadence

All meetings are held on Friday afternoons, 1:00 – 3:00 PM on the 3rd Friday of each month.

The cycle follows a monthly virtual / quarterly hybrid pattern.

Date Format Type
Feb 20 Virtual Monthly
Mar 20 Virtual Monthly
Apr 17 Hybrid Quarterly Review
May 15 Virtual Monthly
Jun 19 Virtual Monthly
Jul 17 Hybrid Quarterly Review
Aug 21 Virtual Monthly
Sep 18 Virtual Monthly
Oct 16 Hybrid Quarterly Review
Nov 20 Virtual Monthly
Dec 18 Virtual Monthly

Meeting Formats

Monthly Virtual

~1.5 hrs recommended

Segment Duration
Overview of prior meeting 5 min
Primary topics overview and updates 15 min
New topics and cross-cutting potentials 15 min
Specific blockers and concerns 15 min
Action items and next steps 10 min
Open space 30 min

Quarterly Hybrid

Full 2 hours

Segment Duration
Deliverable showcase (1 item per primary topic) 45 min
Strategic alignment to plans and EO N-30-25 15 min
ODI report-back preparation 30 min
Open space 30 min

Operating Principles

1
Outcomes Matter Most
Track what changed — and what was attempted. Both inform what comes next.
2
Share Early and Often
A solution that stays in one department is a missed opportunity.
3
Document Everything
If it's not written down, it didn't happen — and it won't survive a transition.
4
Respect the Chain
Fellows work within their departments' authority. The network provides support, not directives.
5
Make It Visible
Wins that aren't communicated don't build momentum. Report-backs, briefs, and artifacts are first-class deliverables.

Deliverables

The fellowship produces recurring artifacts that serve both internal coordination and external communication.

Artifact Frequency Audience
Monthly meeting notes Monthly Fellows
ODI report-back deck Quarterly ODI leadership
Agency discovery summaries As completed Fellows, agency sponsors
Project briefs (one-pagers) As needed Fellows, ODI, agency leadership
Implementation roadmaps Per engagement Agency partners
Fellowship impact report End of 2026 ODI, Governor's Office, incoming administration

Decision-Making

Operational

Meeting agendas, coordination logistics, artifact formats

Made by consensus among fellows

Strategic

Program goals, ODI relationship, external communications

Consensus among fellows, with input from GovOps and ODI liaisons

Department-Level

Remain with each fellow's home department

The fellowship does not override agency authority

Communication & Amendments

Communication Channels:

Channel Details
Primary channel Microsoft Teams — Team California channel
Document repository GitHub — govfellows
Presentations & decks Fellowship Presentations

Charter Amendments:

  • This charter is a living document
  • Proposed changes are discussed at monthly meetings and adopted by consensus

Draft prepared March 2026. This document will evolve as the Senior Fellows establish their working patterns and priorities.