(Former) Controller
State of California

MPA ’81

Betty Yee served as California State Controller from 2015 to 2023. A proud product of San Francisco public schools, Betty earned a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley, where she returned to serve on the Cal Alumni Association board to help raise funds for much-needed scholarships. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Golden Gate University, where she also was conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters in 2017. Betty has 35 years of experience in state and local finance and tax policy. She was elected to the California State Board of Equalization in 2006 and re-elected in 2010, representing close to 9 million Californians.  Prior to this, Betty served as the State’s budget director, where she led the development of the Governor’s Budget, negotiations with the Legislature, and fiscal analysis of legislation on behalf of the Administration. Betty has also held senior staff positions on several fiscal and policy committees in both houses of the California State Legislature.