Authority Members

State Controller Malia M. Cohen was elected in November 2022, following her service on the California State Board of Equalization (BOE), the nation’s only elected tax commission responsible for administering California’s $100 billion property tax system. She was elected to the BOE in November 2018 and was Chair in 2019 and 2022. As Controller, she continues to serve the Board as its fifth voting member.

As chief fiscal officer of the world’s fifth-largest economy, Controller Cohen’s primary responsibility is to account for and protect the state’s financial resources. Controller Cohen also independently audits government agencies that spend state funds, safeguards many types of property until claimed by the rightful owners, and administers the payroll system for state government employees and California State University employees. She serves on 70 boards and commissions with authority ranging from affordable housing to crime victim compensation to land management. Controller Cohen chairs the Franchise Tax Board and serves on the boards of the nation's two largest public pension funds, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) and the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) Boards, which have a combined portfolio of $750 billion. The Controller is one of eight statewide constitutional officials who are elected every four years in California.

As the BOE Board Member for District 2, she represented 10 million constituents living in all or parts of 23 counties extending from Del Norte County in the north to Santa Barbara County in the south. As Chair of the BOE, she led the effort to modernize California’s property tax system, provide guidance to the 58 county assessors on remote assessment appeals board hearings, and utilize property tax abatements to stimulate affordable housing. Controller Cohen also ensured that the views of all who came before the Board were considered carefully, with respect, civility, and courtesy.

Prior to being elected to the BOE, Controller Cohen served as President of the Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco. As a Supervisor, she served as Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee and the Audit and Oversight Committee. During this time, she also served as President of the San Francisco Employees’ Retirement System (SFERS), which at the time was a $23 billion pension fund.

Controller Cohen has championed policies and programs that protect public health, foster economic development, promote new affordable housing, and create good jobs through protecting and expanding San Francisco’s manufacturing base. She has dedicated her career to public service, focusing on making public dollars work for all Californians.

Controller Cohen was born and raised in San Francisco and attended public schools. She received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Fisk University and a master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. She and her husband reside in San Francisco along with their daughter.

Residence: Pasadena
Background: Ms. Michelle Gastelum has been President and Owner at Summit Consulting & Engineering Inc. since 2001. She is also the Managing Partner for 1009-1013 N. Marguerita Ave LLC and 1133 Campbell St. LLC since 2006. Ms. Gastelum has held various positions from Science Teacher to Labor Compliance Officer and from Project Controls Manager to a small business owner. In addition, she was an Assistant Project Manager at LAUSD’s 9.6 Billion Dollar Construction Bond Program from 2000 to 2001 and a Senior Financial Analyst at Summit Financial Advisors Group from 1997 to 2000. Over her 20 year career span in the Design and Construction Industry, Ms. Gastelum has been involved in a wide variety of project types including institutional architecture, office buildings, higher education institutions, K-12, fire stations and real estate development projects. Some of her work at Summit includes projects for the Port of Long Beach, Los Angeles Community College District, Los Angeles Unified School District, Los Angeles World Airports, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Ms. Gastelum earned a Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychobiology from the University of California, Los Angeles. In addition, she successfully completed the Construction Management Certificate Program at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Organizations that Ms. Gastelum is professionally affiliated with include the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA), the Los Angeles Latino Chamber of Commerce (LALCC) and Women in Construction (WIC).

Residence: Los Angeles
With over 20 years of experience in political & legislative advocacy, Nam Le is committed to one thing: winning for working people. From day one, he has been committed to ensuring politics is used for the good of development, housing, and labor. Mr. Le has served as the Political Director & Vice President of UFCW Local 770 since 2011, where he leads the day-to-day political operations for the organization’s 32,000 members. Mr. Le served as campaign manager for two landmark affordable housing bills: Los Angeles County Measure H (2017) and City of Los Angeles Proposition HHH (2016), both of which passed with a large majority of the vote. Prior to joining our UFCW 770, Mr. Le served as a district director for California Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally from South L.A. There his passion for policy and people blossomed. He is also Vice President of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO and the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, AFL-CIO

Residence: Oakland
Background: Mr. Sokol is a senior partner with Weinberg, Roger & Rosenfeld, where he has practiced since 1976. Mr. Sokol represents numerous retirement, as well as health and welfare, benefit funds in both the public and private sectors, in numerous industries, including the building trades, transportation, health care, manufacturing, retail and service sectors. Mr. Sokol writes and lectures widely on pension matters and health care issues. Mr. Sokol has been a lecturer at San Francisco State University’s School of Business Administration for the past 15 years, and also represents numerous non-profit corporations.  Mr. Sokol was a radio newscaster and talk show host for 25 years.