Cynthia Gomez, Assistant Secretary for Environmental Justice and Tribal Government Policy

Biography

Cynthia Gomez is the Assistant Secretary for Environmental Justice and Tribal Government Policy. She advises the Secretary and executive management on policy issues related to Tribal Government affairs and environmental justice.

Cynthia has more than 25 years advocating on behalf of sensitive populations.

Prior to joining Cal/EPA in 2008, Cynthia served as the Chief of the Native American Liaison Branch for the California Department of Transportation where she served as the Department’s ombudsperson on Native American policy issues. Serving as a liaison between the Department, Tribes, Planning Agencies and Federal government, she was instrumental in the review and outreach for environmental justice projects and Title VI activities.

While in this capacity, she authored the first “Transportation Guide for Native Americans,” which provided transportation information, training, and facilitation services to the Native American Community. Even developing the first policy in California to work with Tribal Governments which was also one of the first in the nation for State Transportation Departments. Her work inspired other State Transportation Departments to develop Tribal Liaison programs. She has been a speaker at national forums due to her unique experience.

Cynthia is also the Co-Chairperson for the National Transportation Research Board’s (TRB) standing Committee on Native American Transportation Issues. The TRB is a high-level international transportation policy forum for discussing environmental justice, climate change, energy and Tribal government issues. It is one of the six major divisions of the National Research Council, which is jointly administered by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine.

From 1989-1999, Cynthia worked for the California Department of Housing and Community Development for the California Indian Assistance Program. She assisted Native communities in the development of comprehensive planning documents, environmental documents, grants and contracts for the improvement of services within those respective communities.

Cynthia began her career managing programs for the Tule River Tribal Council from 1985-1989, where she oversaw the departments of Natural Resources, Environmental, Planning, Public Works, and Economic Development.

Ms. Gomez has a juris doctorate degree from the University of Northern California. She received the awards for Valedictorian, Best Litigator, and Dean of Students.

She is Native American from the Tule River Yokut tribe from the Tule River Indian Reservation in central California.

Executive Management Biographies