Kimberly Belshé
![KimberlyBelshé [image]](images/Kim_Tn.jpg)
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Kimberly Belshé secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency in November 2003. Ms. Belshé is a member of the governor’s Cabinet and serves as his chief advisor on health, social services and rehabilitative policies.
Ms. Belshé manages an agency that has almost 33,000 employees, with a total state budget of more than $74 billion. The agency oversees 11 state departments and one board that are responsible for providing Californians with health, developmental, mental, rehabilitative, social and other critical services. As secretary, Ms. Belshé is responsible for providing leadership and oversight of the agency’s departments in their individual and collective efforts to promote the health and well-being of the people of California.
Ms. Belshé served in a number of leadership positions in state government under the administration of Governor Pete Wilson, including deputy secretary of the then-Health and Welfare Agency and director of the Department of Health Services. As State Health Director, Ms. Belshé provided leadership in the state’s efforts to expand health insurance coverage for low-income children and pregnant women, reverse teenage and unintended pregnancies, combat tobacco use and advance a broad prevention agenda. As one of the founding commissioners of the California Children and Families Commission, Ms. Belshé served as vice chairperson and contributed to efforts to improve the oral health of young children.
Ms. Belshé received her MA degree in public and international affairs from Princeton University and her BA degree in government from Harvard. She is a resident of Sacramento.