Meet Malia

Born and raised in San Francisco, Malia has seen how quickly our state is changing, and she is determined to fight for an equitable, healthy future for all Californians.

As a working mom serving as the Chief Financial Officer of the world’s fifth-largest economy, Malia has made it a priority to manage the state’s financial resources with a focus on economic equality, financial accountability, and a fair tax structure for all Californians. As Controller, she sits on over 70 boards and commissions with authority ranging from affordable housing to crime victim compensation to land management.

In her first term, Malia prioritized fairness and equity by putting her weight behind California's Commission on the Status of Women and Girls Pay Equity Task Force and helping Californians understand their rights and holding corporations accountable. She made sure grant programs and state-funded trainings went toward good-paying, long-term jobs that stayed and benefited Californians, ensured the affordable housing programs delivered real results, raised the standard for affordable and quality health care, and aligned California’s finances with our climate change action agenda. 

Prior to serving as California Controller, Malia served on the California State Board of Equalization as the first African American woman to serve on the board. She represented 10 million people living in 23 counties throughout the state. Malia also served as President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. And as Chair of the San Francisco Employee Retirement System (SFERS), Malia led the effort to divest from fossil fuels and thermal coal investments and moved $100 million into a fossil fuel-free index fund.

Malia was born and raised in San Francisco and attended public schools in the City. She earned a BA from Fisk University and a Master’s in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

Malia has dedicated her career to building a better future for everyone in her community.