The Department is excited to welcome JaRita Pichon to the team! She was sworn in as Chief Equity Officer and Deputy Director for Service Access & Equity on January 2, 2025. JaRita’s leadership will further enhance the Department’s efforts to make regional center services more accessible for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
JaRita was appointed as Chief Equity Officer by Governor Gavin Newsom. She previously held several roles with the California Department of Public Health since 2018, most recently as the manager for the Healing, Equity for All, Anti-Racism, and Trauma-responsive Transformation (HEART) section. Also pictured is her spouse, John, who joined to celebrate her new role. You can read about her appointment and her background in the Governor’s announcement.
