The Little Hoover Commission has unanimously re-elected Pedro Nava as its chairman and Sean Varner as vice chairman. This will be Nava’s fifth consecutive year term as chair and Varner’s second year term as vice chair.
Nava has served on the commission since April 3, 2013, when he was appointed by then-Assembly Speaker John Pérez. Nava was reappointed to the commission in January 2017 by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon.
Nava previously served on the commission as a California Assembly representative from September 2005-March 2010.
Under Nava’s leadership, the commission has reviewed and made recommendations on a variety of study areas including:
Improving interactions with government, climate change adaptation, the underground economy, open meetings acts, the Mental Health Services Act, forest management, special districts, mandatory overtime, bond oversight, and veterans homes program.
Nava served in the state Assembly from 2004-10 representing the Ventura and Santa Barbara areas. After leaving the Legislature, he served as a government relations advisor.
In 2011, Nava was appointed to the California Department of Fish & Game Blue Ribbon Commission (renamed Department of Fish & Wildlife in 2013) to assist in the development of the Wildlife Strategic Vision.
Previously, he worked as a civil litigator after serving as a deputy district attorney in Fresno and Santa Barbara counties. Nava also served on the California Coastal Commission.
While in the Legislature, Nava chaired several Assembly committees, including Transportation, Banking and Finance, Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials, and the Select Committee on California’s Green Economy.
Nava also served on other Assembly committees, including the and the Joint Commission on Emergency Management, Insurance, Business and Professions and Joint Legislative Audit.
He was an Assembly representative to the Ocean Protection Council and California Transportation Commission.
Varner was appointed to the commission by Gov. Jerry Brown in April 2016. Varner is a managing partner at Varner & Brandt LLP where he is a transactional attorney focusing on mergers and acquisitions, finance, real estate and general counsel work.
He serves as chair of the board of the directors of the Community Foundation serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties, and on the UC Riverside Chancellor’s Advisory Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics.
Varner twice was chair of the California Inland Empire Chapter of the Young President’s Organization.
The Little Hoover Commission is a bipartisan, independent state oversight agency created in 1962. It is comprised of 13 appointed commissioners, four of whom are state legislators and nine are public members.
Its mission is to investigate state government operations and, through reports, recommendations and legislative proposals, promote efficiency, economy and improved service.
— Terri Hardy for The Little Hoover Commission.