On January 6, 2025, Secretary Crowfoot officially swore in Jennifer Lucchesi as the new DOC Director. She brings over two decades of distinguished public service experience to this role. As the former Executive Officer of the State Lands Commission, Director Lucchesi's extensive background in land and resource management, waterfront development, and environmental protection positions her perfectly to lead DOC's mission. Her expertise as a seasoned attorney, combined with her deep understanding of environmental policy and regulatory oversight, will be invaluable as DOC continues to advance California's climate, energy and environmental priorities. Under her leadership, DOC will continue to strengthen its commitment to sustainable energy practices and enhance environmental protections.
Jennifer began her career at the State Lands Commission in November 1999 as a land agent after graduating with a bachelor's degree in Agribusiness from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. While working as a land agent, Jennifer attended evening classes at the University of the Pacific's McGeorge School of Law. Jennifer began her legal career at the Commission in 2006 after earning her Juris Doctor . After 2 years serving as the Commission's Chief Counsel, Jennifer was appointed its Executive Officer in December 2010. Jennifer led the Commission through the successful adoption of two Strategic Plans, returned over 16,000 acres to California's Coastal Sanctuary, implemented three major offshore oil and gas facility abandonment and decommissioning programs, and established the Commission as a leader in addressing the impacts of the climate crisis through responsibly transitioning its leasing and management portfolio of approximately 4 million acres of lands to clean and renewable energy development, adapting to sea level rise, protecting and enhancing public access, and sustainable forest management.
Jennifer has worked for the Commission on projects and initiatives in virtually every county in the state, with an emphasis on land use, wetlands and open space management, oil and gas development and decommissioning, renewable energy, waterfront redevelopment, and boundary issues involving ports, harbor districts, and waterways, including title settlements and land exchanges to facilitate redevelopment projects in Chula Vista, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland and San Francisco.
