Melinda Grant

Melinda Grant is the Under Secretary in the governor's cabinet, a position she has held since her appointment in 2019. In this role, she oversees the day-to-day operations of an agency responsible for 12 departments spanning housing, homelessness, banking and finance, and the regulation of alcohol and cannabis across California. The agency manages more than 4 million licensees and approximately 8,000 employees, with Grant directing policy, legislative, and budgetary actions. She began her career in 2001 as an intern and has accumulated more than 20 years of experience in government, communications, and public relations. Grant holds an undergraduate degree in government and intercultural communication and a graduate degree in public administration from the University of San Francisco, which she pursued while working full time. She is an alumna of both Sacramento State University and the University of San Francisco and maintains active membership in their alumni associations. Additional professional affiliations include the American Society of Public Administrators, while her community involvement encompasses Jack and Jill of America, Leadership California, United Way, and nonprofits focused on homelessness and domestic violence support.