Staff

Overview

Staff

With a team of 13 full-time staff, a handful of consultants and a Washington, D.C.-based legislative advocate, CWDA plays an invaluable role in shaping human services policies and programs on the state and federal levels. Meet the team Advancing Human Services for the Welfare of All Californians.

925 L Street, Suite 350
Sacramento, CA 95814
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Office: (916) 443-1749
Director

Carlos Marquez III
Executive Director

Carlos Marquez III comes to CWDA as a seasoned advocate and recognized state association leader with nearly two decades of capitol experience. Against the backdrop of some of the toughest policy fights in Sacramento, Carlos has built a record of major legislative and budget achievements on behalf of large and diverse membership organizations.

Staff

Andrew Cheyne
Managing Director, Government Relations & Public Affairs

Andrew joins CWDA as Director of Public Policy, bringing more than a decade of experience advancing policies that improve the lives of low-income families and strengthen California’s safety net, and advancing CWDA’s client-centered vision for the future. He leads CWDA’s external legislative and budget advocacy in the Legislature, cultivating and strengthening CWDA’s partnerships with a diverse cross-section of policy advocates and community partners, and developing and coordinating public affairs and strategic communications strategies to amplify CWDA’s policy priorities.

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Staff

Amanda Kirchner
Director of Legislative Advocacy

Amanda Kirchner joined CWDA as Director of Legislative Advocacy in May 2022. In this role, she advocates for CWDA’s legislative and budget priorities across the spectrum of services and programs operated by county human services agencies. 

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Staff

Christiana Smith
Managing Director, Special Projects

Christiana Smith joined CWDA as the Information Technology Associate in 2014, and was promoted to Director of Information Technology Policy in January 2019. Christiana works with the state, counties, and automation projects to ensure counties’ needs are represented in developing and maintaining systems that support the work of county human services staff.

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Staff

Diana Boyer
Managing Director, Research and Policy Development

Diana Boyer joined CWDA in 2005 as a Senior Policy Analyst and has recently been promoted to Managing Director, Research and Policy Development. Diana was formally the Director of Policy for Child Welfare and OIder Adult Services, specializing in the program areas of In-Home Supportive Services, Adult Protective Services, Child Welfare, and Foster Care.

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Staff

Hinnaneh Qazi
Director of Budget and Fiscal Policy

Hinnaneh comes to CWDA with nearly a decade of state policy development expertise and a background in health and human services policy, fiscal analysis, government operations, and strategic program implementation.

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Staff

Roshena Duree
Director of Self Sufficiency

Roshena Duree joined CWDA as Senior Self-Sufficiency Policy Analyst in June 2022 and was promoted to Deputy Director of Self Sufficiency in February 2023. In this role, Roshena serves as the policy lead for CWDA in the Self Sufficiency area.

Staff

Tom Joseph
Co-Director, Washington, D.C. Office

Tom Joseph is Vice President of Paragon Government Relations, heading up the firm’s health and human services practice and overseeing various aspects of the firm’s operations. His lobbying expertise, experience, and knowledge are reflected in an impressive 30-plus year history representing local governments.

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Staff

Rachel Mackey
Co-Director, Washington, D.C. Office

Rachel Mackey is a Senior Associate with Paragon Government Relations working to advance the interests of clients’ federal policy interests in the health & human services, housing and veterans spaces. She is a seasoned government affairs professional with experience advocating for county government priorities in the areas of human services, education, and veterans and military services.

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Staff

Traci Metcalf
Operations Manager

Traci Metcalf works closely with CWDA Leadership and the team to support the internal function of the organization. Traci joined the CWDA team in March 2019 as an Executive Assistant and has since been promoted into the operations manager role. 

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Staff

Emily Marshall
Senior Analyst, Budget and Fiscal Policy

Emily joins CWDA as a Senior Analyst, Budget and Fiscal Policy. She will be supporting CWDA advocacy on state budget and county fiscal issues across human services policy areas, including self-sufficiency programs, child welfare services, adult programs, and Medi-Cal administration.

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Staff

Jesi Lunsford
Senior Policy Analyst, Self Sufficiency

Jesi Lunsford joined CWDA as the Senior Information Technology Policy Analyst in 2023. In 2025, she moved into the Senior Policy Analyst, Self-Sufficiency position as the primary contact for health care programs and to offer support in other self-sufficiency programs, including CalFresh, CFAP, and cash assistance programs.

 

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Staff

Renita Polk
Deputy Director – Aging, Disability, and Older Adult Services

Renita Polk joined CWDA as Deputy Director of Aging, Disability, and Older Adult Services in May 2024. In this role, Renita supports county human services departments in the development and implementation of policies impacting older adults, as is responsible for budget and legislative advocacy relating to aging and disability policy.

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Staff

Dr. Susan Lawol
Deputy Director – Child Welfare Services

Susan Lawol joined CWDA in August 2025 as Deputy Director of Child Welfare, where she specializes in a broad range of policy issues impacting children, youth, and families involved with the child welfare system. She brings a unique perspective shaped by both domestic leadership in county human services and international fieldwork in post-conflict recovery.

 

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Staff

Brenda Meza
Executive Assistant

Brenda Meza comes to CWDA with over seven years of experience supporting public health programs and government operations, with a strong commitment to community-centered service and collaboration.

Staff

Alexis Rodriguez
Legislative Advocate

Alexis joins CWDA as a Legislative Advocate with experience supporting policy advocacy and legislative casework across state and federal government settings. In this role, she supports the research and advancement of legislation impacting county human services agencies and their programs.

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Staff

Eric Nielson
Executive Liaison, CalHEERS Project

Eric Nielson is the CWDA Executive Liaison with the California Health Eligibility Enrollment Retention System (CalHEERS) project.  He represents the 58 County Human Services agencies, their business requirements and system needs at the CalHEERS project.

Staff

Tricia Gonzalez
Executive Liaison Child Welfare Digital Services/CWS-CARES

Tricia Gonzalez, MPAis the CWDA Executive Liaison with the CWS-CARES (California Automated Response and Engagement System).  She works with the State, counties, and Child Welfare Digital Services (CWDS) to ensure that the needs of counties are represented in the development and maintenance of systems that support the work of county human services staff.   

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