California Gov. Gavin Newsom has appointed Rohit Chopra, the state’s secretary of the Business and Consumer Services Agency, to the Governor’s Military Council. The appointment adds Chopra to the advisory body while drawing on his background in federal regulation, consumer protection and public administration.
Chopra has led the Business and Consumer Services Agency since 2026. Before taking on the state-level position, he spent several years in senior federal roles. From 2021 to 2025, he served as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, where his work focused on financial consumer protection and oversight.
His government experience also includes a three-year tenure as a commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission from 2018 to 2021. Earlier in his career, Chopra worked at the U.S. Department of Education as a special adviser to the secretary in 2016.
Chopra began his federal consumer-protection career at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, serving as an assistant director and student loan ombudsman between 2010 and 2015. Before entering government service, he worked as an associate at McKinsey & Company from 2008 to 2010.
In addition to his professional experience, Chopra has an academic background in business and government. He earned a Master of Business Administration from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Harvard University. He also spent the 2025–2026 period as a fellow at Harvard Kennedy School.
The Governor’s Military Council appointment does not require confirmation by the California Senate and comes without compensation. Chopra is a Democrat.
Newsom’s announcement also included several other government personnel changes. Patrick Brown was named chief deputy director at the Housing Development and Finance Committee, while Kevin Hixon was appointed deputy director for facility support within the Division of Adult Institutions.
Andrea Rosales was also selected for the Commission on Correctional Peace Officer Standards and Training. Together, the appointments represent several changes across California’s government and public-service agencies.
