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Richard Raya

Policy Director

Prior to joining California Forward, Richard was the Director of Administration for the Alameda County Public Health Department, where he managed a $120 million, 600 FTE budget. He worked with program managers to maintain services while generating an average of $6 million in savings three years in a row; these savings were used to prevent layoffs despite ongoing revenue reductions. He also managed facilities planning and other general services.

Previously, Richard served as a Senior Associate at PolicyLink, where he led the Equity in School Construction Finance Project -- a successful effort to increase bond financing opportunities for urban and low-income school districts across the State of California. Richard worked with legislators, community advocates, school administrators, and members of the building industry to develop and promote Proposition 1D (2006).

Prior to this, Richard was an Analyst for the Alameda County Administrator’s Office, where he developed a business plan for Youth Uprising -- a $3.5 million conversion of a county-owned building into a multi-service center for youth -- and worked with the Interagency Children’s Policy Council to establish a countywide results-based accountability system for the delivery of children’s services.

Richard lives in Oakland and sits on the Boards of Directors for Youth Radio and TransForm, and has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a Master’s Degree in Public Policy, both from the University of California at Berkeley.