Melissa Gear

Melissa M. Gear was appointed Deputy Director of Legislative and Governmental Affairs at the Department of Health Care Access and Information by Governor Newsom in March 2025.

Ms. Gear was appointed Deputy Director of Board and Bureau Relations at the California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) in 2022. She oversaw 36 boards and bureaus, represented DCA in key stakeholder interactions, and, as a policy advisor, where she worked closely with the executive management team, advanced Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives as part of the DEI Steering Committee.

Before joining DCA, Ms. Gear served as Chief Deputy Legislative Director at the California Department of Insurance for over eight years in a senior leadership role, overseeing the legislative office. She successfully shepherded complex insurance-related bills, defeated measures that would have weakened regulatory authority, and advanced consumer protection bills related to homeowners affected by catastrophic wildfires.

Ms. Gear worked at the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) as a Legislative Advocate and member of the Legislative Affairs leadership team, working on key legislative issues such as pension reform and funding strategies.

Earlier in her career, she worked at the California Department of Justice and the Legislative Analyst’s Office, managing legislative processes and analyzing budget reforms. She began her career as an Executive Fellow at the California Department of Education.

Ms. Gear holds a Master of Public Health degree from New York University, where she studied Community Health Education and Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied public health, education, and public and social policy.