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DCA names acting director, outlines strategic‑planning roadmap and survey timeline

California State Board of Pharmacy · January 29, 2026
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Summary

The Department of Consumer Affairs announced Christine Lawley as acting director; DCA staff outlined a five‑phase strategic‑planning process and said the stakeholder survey will be published by Feb. 9, 2026. Board members raised concerns about translation and language access for the survey.

The California Department of Consumer Affairs provided an update to the board on Jan. 26 and introduced the department’s strategic‑planning process. Lucia Saldivar (introduced by the board as deputy director, board and bureau relations) announced that Christine Lawley has been named acting director following the retirement of DCA Director Kimberly Kirkmeyer.

Saldivar summarized department priorities, recent executive actions and deadlines: the governor’s proposed budget context, a DCA reorganization enacted on July 5, 2025, that will split the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency into two agencies effective July 1, 2026, and reminders to board members about continuing education credits via the board LMS (FarmEd) and Form 700 annual filing (deadline April 1, 2026; DCA requests e‑filing by March 20, 2026).

Sarah Rani of Solid Planning provided an overview of a five‑phase strategic planning approach the department will use with the board: stakeholder environmental scan (survey), SWOT analysis, facilitated board sessions and action planning. Rani said the environmental‑scan survey is planned to be published by Feb. 9 and that board members will be interviewed or may be offered a board‑member survey. Members asked how the process will include non‑English speakers; Rani said surveys are being distributed on stakeholder lists and that translations would require board funding and are not planned by default (staff may use automated translation like Google Translate for responses received in other languages). Public commenter Stephen Gray asked whether the strategic‑planning session would be open to the public; the board confirmed it will be held as part of a board meeting with remote participation permitted.

Next steps: staff will publish the stakeholder survey in early February, schedule board member interviews, and plan a multi‑hour strategic‑planning session at a June board meeting (June 24 or 25, 2026) to begin objective setting.