Principal, California Strategies

Joanne Corday Kozberg joined California Strategies, a public affairs consulting firm, in January 2003 and opened the Los Angeles office. During a career of more than 30 years, she has held numerous positions in the public, nonprofit and private sectors. Her particular strengths are in the areas of organizational transformation, competitiveness, resource development, regulatory reform and governance.

From 1999 to 2002, Kozberg was President and Chief Operating Officer of the Music Center of Los Angeles County, a performing arts complex that includes the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, the Ahmanson and Mark Taper Theatres and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.

From 1993 to 1998, she served as California’s Secretary of State and Consumer Services in Gov. Pete Wilson’s Cabinet. As Secretary, Kozberg managed an agency with 14,000 employees, a budget of $1.4 billion and 12 departments. On behalf of Gov. Wilson, she launched and led the Construction Industry Roundtable, the Governor’s Council on Information Technology and the Competitive Government Task Force, which was initiated to create a transformation plan to reduce bureaucracy and increase positive results in state government.

Kozberg was appointed to the California Arts Council in 1986, served as its chair from 1988 to 1991, and as its Executive Director from 1991 until 1993. From 1984 through 1988, she was a senior policy consultant to then Sen. Pete Wilson, specializing in entertainment, transportation, land use and arts issues. Kozberg has served in various other leadership and professional posts, including Executive Director of the Coro Foundation in Southern California. She also served as Southern California Director of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.

Kozberg is a trustee of the J. Paul Getty Trust and a director of the California Community Foundation. She is a Regent Emeritus of the University of California, completing a 12-year term in 2010. She also served as Co-Chair of Gov. Schwarzenegger’s California Performance Review Commission and as a member of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s transition team.

Kozberg has a BA in History from UC Berkeley and an MA in Public Policy from Occidental College. She is also a graduate of the Coro Fellowship program.