New America Names New Director of California Program
WASHINGTON, DC (May 22, 2007) — The New America Foundation is pleased to announce that Leif Wellington Haase will take over the reigns of its California Program in Sacramento. Haase will lead ongoing efforts to advance ground-breaking policy solutions to the state’s problems while enriching the quality of public debate in our nation’s leading laboratory of democracy. Gregory Rodriguez, who will continue as Irvine Senior Fellow, will assume additional responsibilities as Director of the California Fellows Program. Mark Paul, a veteran California journalist and policy analyst, will serve as Senior Scholar.
Previously, Leif Wellington Haase led health policy reform efforts at The Century Foundation, a leading think tank and public policy research foundation. Among his many responsibilities there, Haase directed the Foundation’s Projects on Bioterrorism and Public Health. He is the author of two books on health care reform and serves as a frequent media commentator and expert resource, appearing on leading broadcast and print media around the nation including ABC News, CNBC, NPR, Associated Press, and Time Magazine. Haas received his Bachelor’s degree from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and holds two Master’s degrees in American Studies from Yale University.
Gregory Rodriguez, currently an Irvine Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation, will assume additional responsibilities as Director of the California Fellows Program. Rodriguez is an op-ed columnist for the Los Angeles Times and has been a Fellow at New America since its inception in 1999. As Director of the Fellows Program Rodriguez will select and guide the work of a group of California Fellows. Rodriguez, who received his Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, is an internationally acclaimed expert on issues of acculturation and immigration and the author of a forthcoming book on Mexican immigration and the future of race in America.
Mark Paul, who will serve as Senior Scholar for New America’s California Program, brings a wealth of experience in California journalism, politics and policymaking to the position. Paul was Deputy Editor of the Sacramento Bee’s editorial pages, supervising political columnists and writing editorials on issues of local, state, and national importance. Recently, Paul served as Deputy Treasurer for the State of California (2004-2005) and as Executive Director of the California Health Facilities Financing Authority. Paul received his Bachelor’s degree in History and his Master’s degree in U.S. History, both from Stanford University.
In its first three years, New America’s California Program has grown to over 15 positions located throughout the state. Its Fellows have authored over 300 articles in all of the state's major media outlets and published five books. The Foundation has also developed a series of ongoing policy programs in California in the areas of health care, financial savings, political reform, immigration and energy. The program regularly convenes major policy events throughout the state featuring prominent speakers including the state’s legislative leaders and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. David Lesher, previous Director of the California Program at New America, is now Government Affairs director at the Public Policy Institute of California. He oversaw the launch of the California Program in Sacramento in 2004.
Related Programs: New America in California
