Lieutenant Governor and State Lands Commission Chair Eleni Kounalakis Announces Appointment of Dr. Matthew Dumlao as Commission’s Executive Officer

 

For Immediate Release
Tuesday, June 17, 2025   
Contact: Press@ltg.ca.gov, (916) 445-8994

 

SACRAMENTO, CA – This month, Lieutenant Governor Eleni Kounalakis, Chair of the California State Lands Commission, announced the commission’s appointment of Dr. Matthew Dumlao as its new Executive Officer. 

Matthew has served as the Chief of Staff and Environmental Policy Advisor to Lieutenant Governor Kounalakis since 2021 and previously as the Deputy Chief of Staff and Policy Advisor to the Lieutenant Governor. In this capacity, Matthew served as the Lieutenant Governor’s chief advisor and alternate on the California State Lands Commission, Ocean Protection Council, and California Coastal Commission. 

“Dr. Matthew Dumlao is a highly respected member of the public policy community and a valuable member of my team in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. As my Chief of Staff and Environmental Policy Advisor, his deep expertise and steady leadership have shaped our work to protect California’s lands and waters. I could not be more proud to see Dr. Dumlao step into his new role as Executive Officer of the California State Lands Commission, and I look forward to continuing our work together to advance a more sustainable and resilient future for all Californians.”

Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis 

Before joining the Lieutenant Governor’s office, Matthew served as a legislative aide to State Senator Henry Stern and as a Science Fellow with the California Council on Science and Technology, where he advised Senator Fran Pavley and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water. He helped pass SB 32, a landmark bill to reduce California’s greenhouse gas emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. His legislative work also supported clean energy, natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable water policy. Matthew holds a Ph.D. in Soil Science and Biogeochemistry from UC Davis, where he was also a postdoctoral researcher. He earned a B.S. in Plant Biology from UC Davis and an M.A. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Colorado, Boulder.