Insurance Commissioner Lara appoints Press Secretary for the Department of Insurance to help promote outreach to consumers
News: 2021 Press Release
LOS ANGELES — Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today announced he has appointed Gabriel Sanchez as Press Secretary for the Department of Insurance. In this role, he will serve as a spokesperson for the Commissioner on critical consumer protection issues facing Californians, including climate and wildfire readiness, health care access, and pandemic recovery.
“Gabriel and I have a shared commitment to equity, public service, and helping people,” said Commissioner Lara. “His abilities to use communications to create social change in the public, private and non-profit sectors will be a strong addition to our team as we boost awareness of how insurance laws help Californians recover from the pandemic, natural disasters and wildfires, and seek increased access to health care.”
Sanchez has extensive experience in creating integrated communications strategies at the county and state levels for elected officials, government commissions, and nonprofits. He has served as a spokesperson and communications strategist for former Governor Gray Davis and Legislative leaders. He also served as Communications Director for Green Dot Public Schools, then a network of 21 middle and high schools in Los Angeles, Memphis, and Seattle. He most recently served as Chief Communications Officer for First 5 LA, where he led communications efforts to advocate for the needs of young children and their healthy development.
Sanchez reports to Deputy Commissioner for Communications and Press Relations Michael Soller, and fills a vacancy in the Communications and Press Relations Branch created by the retirement of Deputy Commissioner Byron Tucker. Sanchez will be based in Los Angeles.
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Led by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, the California Department of Insurance is the consumer protection agency for the nation's largest insurance marketplace and safeguards all of the state’s consumers by fairly regulating the insurance industry. Under the Commissioner’s direction, the Department uses its authority to protect Californians from insurance rates that are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, oversee insurer solvency to pay claims, set standards for agents and broker licensing, perform market conduct reviews of insurance companies, resolve consumer complaints, and investigate and prosecute insurance fraud. Consumers are urged to call 1-800-927-4357 with any questions or contact us at www.insurance.ca.gov via webform or online chat. Non-media inquiries should be directed to the Consumer Hotline at 800-927-4357. Teletypewriter (TTY), please dial 800-482-4833.
