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Executive Profiles
WILLIAM S. HARAF
Commissioner of Financial Institutions
William Haraf was sworn in as Commissioner, Department of Financial Institutions, for the State of California on April 8, 2008. As Commissioner, he has statutory responsibility for the performance of all duties, the exercise of all powers and jurisdiction, and the discharge of all responsibilities vested by law in the Department. In his current capacity, he is also the State Banking Supervisory Representative on the Financial Stability Oversight Council established by the Dodd-Frank Act and Chairman-Elect of the Board of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors.
Haraf’s prior career has spanned commercial and investment banking, the executive branch of the federal government, academia and the think tank world.
From 2005 until his swearing in, Haraf was an Independent Consultant with the Promontory Financial Group and a Visiting Professor in the Graduate School of Management at the University of California at Davis. He had previously been Managing Director and Chief of Staff at Banc of America Securities and before that Senior Vice President, Strategic Policy Development and Planning for Bank of America. Prior to joining Bank of America, Haraf was Director of Policy Analysis with Citicorp in Washington, D.C.
Previously, Haraf was the J. Edward Lundy Scholar and Director of the Financial Markets Project at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research in Washington, D.C. He served as Special Assistant to the Chairman and Senior Staff Economist to the President’s Council of Economic Advisors in the Reagan Administration and was Assistant Professor of Economics at Brown University from 1979 to 1983. He received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Washington in Seattle in 1979.
Contact Information:
45 Fremont Street, Suite 1700, San Francisco, CA 94105
Tel: (415) 263-8507
Fax: (415) 288-8830
CAROL D. CHESBROUGH (Acting)
Chief Deputy Commissioner
Carol D. Chesbrough joined DFI in 2000. She was appointed Chief Deputy Commissioner on June 14, 2001. Ms. Chesbrough has over 25 years experience in State of California management, law and policy positions. Trained as an attorney, she has held positions as an appellate court attorney, deputy attorney general, hearing officer and senior counsel. Prior assignments include Director of Marketing Services at the Department of Food & Agriculture. As Marketing Director, she served as Secretary-Treasurer of the North American Marketing Officials Organization. She was recognized with a Gold Superior Accomplishment Award by the Department of Food and Agriculture.
As Chief Deputy Commissioner for DFI, Carol has been an advocate for lifelong learning, strategic planning and leadership development. She is a member of the Board of the Educational Foundation for State Banking Superintendents (national) where she emphasizes succession planning and the development of professional competency. Ms. Chesbrough established partnerships with the Department of Corporations, California State Teachers Retirement System and the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to deliver a Leadership Development Academy, a key element to succession planning. Ms. Chesbrough has been selected to work on statewide initiatives such as testifying before the Little Hoover Commission regarding the state managers and supervisors system and workforce development for the California Performance Review.
Ms. Chesbrough received her law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She was on the Pacific Law Review staff and graduated in the top 10% of her class, a member of the Traynor Society, now order of the Coif. Ms. Chesbrough graduated summa cum laude from Humboldt State University, graduating second overall. Her community activities include being a school board member, United Way Chair, and a Girl Scout and 4-H leader.
Contact Information:
1810 13th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811
Tel: (916) 322-5967
Fax: (916) 445-7643
DEBIE M. ABELLA
Deputy Commissioner, Division of Bank Examinations
Northern California Region
Debie M. Abella was appointed Deputy Commissioner, Division of Bank Examinations, Northern California Region, effective July 1, 2010.
Ms. Abella joined the California State Banking Department (now the Department of Financial Institutions) in 1983 as a Bank Examiner in the San Francisco Regional Office and was promoted to the position of Senior Examiner in 1992. She was promoted to serve as Assistant Deputy Commissioner in the San Francisco Regional Office in 1998.
Ms. Abella received her Bachelor of Science degree from San Francisco State University in Business Administration, and is a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School. Ms. Abella is a Certified Examinations Manager.
Contact Information:
45 Fremont Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
Tel: (415) 263-8570
Fax: (415) 288-8853
DAWNE BORTOLAZZO
Chief Administrative Officer
Dawne Bortolazzo was appointed Chief Administrative Officer, effective October 17, 2011.
Ms. Bortolazzo joined the Department of Financial Institutions in 2004 as the Budget Officer. She was promoted to the position of Fiscal and Business Services Manager in 2009.
Ms. Bortolazzo began her State career in 2001 as a Budget Analyst at the Department of Corporations. Prior to entering State service, Ms. Bortolazzo worked in private industry for approximately 14 years serving in managerial positions for a telecommunications service provider and a public opinion research firm.
Ms. Bortolazzo received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from California State University, Sacramento.
Contact Information:
1810 13th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811
Tel: (916) 322-5969
Fax: (916) 445-7643
SCOTT D. CAMERON
Chief Examiner
Scott D. Cameron was appointed Chief Examiner on June 14, 2010.
He previously served as Deputy Commissioner, Division of Bank Examinations, Northern California Region, from September 1, 2005.
Mr. Cameron joined the California State Banking Department (now the Department of Financial Institutions) in 1984 as a Bank Examiner in the Los Angeles Regional Office and was promoted to the position of Senior Examiner in 1992. He served as a Financial Institutions Supervisor in the Los Angeles Regional Office prior to his assignment as an Assistant Deputy Commissioner in the Sacramento Regional Office in 1999.
Mr. Cameron received his Bachelor of Science degree from California State University Los Angeles in Industrial Technology/Aviation Administration, and is a Certified Examinations Manager.
Contact Information:
1810 13th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811
Tel: (916) 322-5962
Fax: (916) 322-5976
MARILYN S. DAVIS, CPA
Deputy Commissioner of Legislation
Marilyn Davis was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Legislation on March 7, 2008.
Ms. Davis joined the Department of Financial Institutions in 1999 as a Financial Institutions Examiner. She was promoted to Financial Institutions Supervisor in 2006.
Prior to joining the Department, Ms. Davis worked at a local Certified Public Accounting firm for 12 years. She also worked for a Sacramento newspaper and advocated on behalf of a non-profit corporation.
Ms. Davis earned a BS degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from California State University, Sacramento.
Contact Information:
1810 13th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811
Tel: (916) 322-1571
Fax: (916) 445-7643
T. BERT McCLANE
Chief Examiner, Credit Union Division
Bert McLane was appointed Chief Examiner of the Division of Credit Unions on May 16, 2008. Mr. McLane brings many years of regulatory experience to his new position. He began his career in 1985 as a thrift and loan examiner in the Los Angeles office of the Department of Corporations. In 1990, he transferred to the Credit Union Division of the Department of Corporations and was promoted as that Department’s only Credit Union Senior Examiner in 1993. In 1997, Mr. McLane moved to the newly created Department of Financial Institutions as a result of the merger of the Credit Union Division into the old State Banking Department. Mr. McLane was promoted as a Credit Union Supervisor in February, 2002, and then as a Credit Union Manager in December 2002, where he has served the Credit Union Division until this most recent appointment.
Mr. McLane is a National Association of State Credit Union Supervisors (“NASCUS”) Certified Supervisor, and is a graduate of the DFI Leadership Challenge Program, which enabled him to lead in the development of the Department’s compliance program for the California Financial Information Privacy Act.
Contact Information:
300 S. Spring Street, Suite 15513, Los Angeles, CA 90013-1204
Tel: (213) 897-9351
Fax: (213) 620-2189
CATHERINE NAHNSEN-ROBISON
Deputy Commissioner, Division of Bank Examinations
Southern California Region
Catherine Nahnsen-Robison was appointed Deputy Commissioner, Division of Bank Examinations, Southern California Region on July 1, 2010.
Cathy previously served as Financial Institutions Manager, Division of Bank Examinations from May 16, 2007.
Cathy joined the California State Banking Department (now the Department of Financial Institutions) in 1984 as a Bank Examiner in the Los Angeles Office. She was promoted to Senior Examiner in 1991, and was promoted to Financial Institutions Supervisor in 1999.
She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, emphasis on management and finance in 1983, a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology in 1983, and a Masters of Accountancy in 1994, all from California State University, Northridge. Cathy also passed the CPA exam in 1989 and is a Certified Examinations Manager.
Contact Information:
300 S. Spring Street, Suite 15513, Los Angeles, CA 90013-1204
Tel: 213-897-5346
Fax: (213) 897-572
JOHN T. ROSS
Deputy Commissioner, Division of Bank Examinations
Southern California Region
John Ross was appointed Deputy Commissioner, Division of Bank Examinations, Southern California Region, effective as of July 1, 2004.
Mr. Ross joined the California State Banking Department (now the Department of Financial Institutions) as a Bank Examiner in 1986, was promoted to the position of Senior Examiner in 1991, and was promoted to the position of supervisor in 1992. He served as an Assistant Deputy Commissioner for the Los Angeles examinations program from 1999 until assuming his current position.
Mr. Ross graduated summa cum laude from California State University, Northridge, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.
Contact Information:
300 S. Spring Street, Suite 15513, Los Angeles, CA 90013-1204
Tel: (213) 897-8952
Fax: (213) 897-5725
ROBERT VENCHIARUTTI
Deputy Commissioner, Money Transmitters Division
Robert Venchiarutti became Acting Deputy Commissioner on June 1, 2003, and was appointed Deputy Commissioner, Money Transmitters Division on May 18, 2004. Mr. Venchiarutti has brought new Departmental focus to the importance of the regulation of this growing segment of the financial services industry. Mr. Venchiarutti joined the Department of Financial Institutions in December 2000 as Staff Counsel, where he worked on a variety of legal matters involving bank and non-bank financial institutions such as mergers and acquisitions, new banks, interstate branching, stored value and enforcement actions. Mr. Venchiarutti is currently a Board Director and Secretary of the Money Transmitters Regulators Association, which fosters cooperation among states and federal agencies for the effective and efficient regulation of money transmitters and check sellers.
Prior to joining the Department, Mr. Venchiarutti practiced law for six years for several firms in the Bay Area, including Farella, Braun & Martel, and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. Prior to law school, Mr. Venchiarutti worked as a public high school teacher in New York City.
Mr. Venchiarutti graduated from Georgetown University in
Washington, D.C. with a BA in Economics (with Distinction),
and received his law degree from Hastings College of the Law,
where he was Associate Articles Editor of the Hastings Law
Journal, a member of the Thurston Society and a recipient
of the Milton D. Green Top Ten Citation.
Contact Information:
45 Fremont Street, Suite 1700, San Francisco, CA 94105
Tel: (415) 263-8511
Fax: (415) 263-8508
RaANN WOOD
Deputy Commissioner, Credit Union Division
RaAnn Wood was appointed Deputy Commissioner of Financial Institutions for the Division of Credit Unions on November 24, 2008. For the prior four years Wood was President and CEO of California Center Credit Union. Before joining the credit union, she was with the California Credit Union League where she served as the professional networks manager in the education and training department following six years with the League's research and information department.
Wood's career with credit unions began in 1975 and she has since worked with thrift and loan companies, savings banks, and in mortgage banking. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of La Verne in Organizational Management.
Contact Information:
300 S. Spring Street, Suite 15513, Los Angeles, CA 90013-1204
Tel: (213) 897-2155
Fax: (213) 620-2189
Commissioners of Financial Institutions
1997 - Current
| Name | Date of Taking Office |
| Conrad W. Hewitt | July 1, 1997 |
| Walter J. Mix III | July 9, 1998 |
| Jan Lynn Owen* | January 7, 1999 |
| Donald R. Meyer | April 4, 2000 |
| Howard Gould | March 2, 2004 |
| Brian Yuen* | October 3, 2005 |
| Michael A. Kelley | June 1, 2006 |
| Carol D. Chesbrough* | September 7, 2007 |
| William S. Haraf | April 10, 2008 |
* Acting Commissioner